Womens Health and Mens Health sub-forums

[CoolBee]

Should there be separate sub-forums for women's health issues and men's?

Personally, I think it would be useful to separate out from the general nutrition, sleep, exercise topics. However, I believe we should have BOTH mens and womens or NEITHER. As the population of the Earth is roughly 50% each way, neither gender is 'special'.

Womens topics - menstruation, childbirth, pap tests, mammograms

Mens topics - masturbation, erectile dysfunction etc

[versy]

Yes, you right Coolbee, having separate forums for men and women are fine but how do you know where the particular member is male or female, just all we know is the IP address.

[aelle]

I find it unnecessary. I don't think a segregation would even be useful ; I do think that for example women could benefit from reading about first-hand experiences in the male issues you describe, and possibly bring interesting testimonials and ask pertinent questions. Most users can exert their personal judgement about which threads they want to read and which ones they won't care about, or may gross them out.

On top of this, we do have several genderqueer and transgender members on these boards. We have people who don't necessarily/always identify as female who have vulvas, and experience menstruation, and can offer valid and interesting contributions on these topics, for example. I don't know if we have intersex members, but it's a real possibility. Even if we don't restrict the use of the subforums to a particular gender/sex, is it necessary to remind these members that as far as most of the world is concerned, woman=vulva and man=penis, and too bad if their body doesn't match that?

Edit: also, in real life the term women's health is widely used to refer to the issues you have in mind, men's health not so much. Case in point, we've had 5 years of men talking about their ejaculations and masturbatory habits and circumcision in the main health forum, and it's only when we bring up menstruation that the idea of a separate women's health forum is raised. I expect that if we open 2 subforums, the women will segregate themselves while the men will stay in the main health forum.

[Mariana Trench]

Originally Posted by aelle

i find it unnecessary. I don't think a segregation would even be useful ; i do think that for example women could benefit from reading about first-hand experiences in the male issues you describe, and possibly bring interesting testimonials and ask pertinent questions. Most users can exert their personal judgement about which threads they want to read and which ones they won't care about, or may gross them out.

On top of this, we do have several genderqueer and transgender members on these boards. We have people who don't necessarily/always identify as female who have vulvas, and experience menstruation, and can offer valid and interesting contributions on these topics, for example. I don't know if we have intersex members, but it's a real possibility. Even if we don't restrict the use of the subforums to a particular gender/sex, is it necessary to remind these members that as far as most of the world is concerned, woman=vulva and man=penis, and too bad if their body doesn't match that?

Edit: Also, in real life the term women's health is widely used to refer to the issues you have in mind, men's health not so much. Case in point, we've had 5 years of men talking about their ejaculations and masturbatory habits and circumcision in the main health forum, and it's only when we bring up menstruation that the idea of a separate women's health forum is raised. I expect that if we open 2 subforums, the women will segregate themselves while the men will stay in the main health forum.

+1

[CoolBee]

To clarify I wasn't intending that people of either gender or both shouldn't be able to post across, but just to make it clear what people were getting into after some of the reactions to the menstruation threads!

Yes, you make a good point there about self-segregation. Well actually all very good points. I have a transgendered relative so I should be more alert to that!

[ButterflyWoman]

Originally Posted by CoolBee

To clarify I wasn't intending that people of either gender or both shouldn't be able to post across, but just to make it clear what people were getting into after some of the reactions to the menstruation threads!

Making separate forums won't help that, unfortunately. Those threads were VERY clearly labelled. There was no question about what was in them.

[CoolBee]

Yes you're right.
I'm allergic on the whole to women's health forums which often end up becoming 'private' and 'hidden' and then lead to a whole heap of trouble if you're not 'in'.

OK, can I rescind my vote

[Curtis2011]

Might be a decent idea, but what would we do with the topics that are not gender-specific?

[ssandra]

Originally Posted by CoolBee

Mens topics - masturbation, erectile dysfunction etc

I know you didn't mean it this way.... but women masturbate as well...

[Agota]

Originally Posted by ssandra

I know you didn't mean it this way.... but women masturbate as well...

That was my first thought too when I read this

[CoolBee]

Ok ok, I wish I'd never started it now

[ButterflyWoman]

Originally Posted by CoolBee

Ok ok, I wish I'd never started it now

Oh, I so totally know that feeling....

[votoshka]

Originally Posted by CoolBee

Mens topics - masturbation, erectile dysfunction etc

Aww...well women masturbate too!!

I am of two minds about such sub-forums. It would, perhaps, get rid of some of the "eww gross" posts made by guys on subjects such as menstruation but I think if guys read threads like that, they're just going to read the same threads in a women's sub-forum!

[Andrew Brunelle]

I don't think it really matters much, but if there were to be a couple of subforums created, I wouldn't mind, as long as there still was a general health and fitness forum still there. If I don't want to read a thread about women's health I don't have to. I can clearly avoid reading those thread that do not pertain to me, so I don't really see the need for more subforums on the subject of health.

But it will just be a subforum I never use if Women's Health is created, so to me, it won't change my life.

[Dannyjoy]

Originally Posted by CoolBee

Should there be separate sub-forums for women's health issues and men's?

Personally, I think it would be useful to separate out from the general nutrition, sleep, exercise topics. However, I believe we should have BOTH mens and womens or NEITHER. As the population of the Earth is roughly 50% each way, neither gender is 'special'.

Womens topics - menstruation, childbirth, pap tests, mammograms

Mens topics - masturbation, erectile dysfunction etc

Then a women should be treated by a female doctor and man should be treated by a male doctor. I am not agree. Sorry............

[Angela]

I feel they are intertwined - the health of each gender influences the health of the other. The health of each person influences the health of the others.