[pct-l] Rude and Offensive Stories

[Mary Kwart]

This comes up again and again on this list for years due to postings
by Switchback and Rheinhold (who I haven't seen posting for awhile).
The list serve administrator considers their misogynist postings "free
speech", although in any other common societal situation (work, pubic
places,) it would be considered "hate speech".

After voicing concerns in the past, I have been admonished over the
years by the list serve administrator and others. I was actually told
off list by one poster that I needed to respect Rheinhold because he
was an ex-Marine. Usually the message is just to scroll through the
postings and ignore them, which I have come to do because no amount of
complaining will ever do anything. People have also said to me that if
I can't take the heat, don't stay in the kitchen, that it is just a
joke, so no big deal. Women have all heard this kind of thing
before--especially to get a sense of humor. I think there is no humor
in misogynist jokes and stories. 

There is no recourse, unless, of course, you want to forward the
misogynist posting to "Women of the PCT" on Facebook. That should get
a rise out of some people. In fact, I challenge Switchback to post his
story there. 

Hikers are also turning away from monitoring the list serv and are
going to Facebook because of this reason and general snarkiness of
posts. When I first started monitoring the list serv, the situation
was better. There was much more of a sense of this being a good place
to ask questions about the PCT and get answers. It still is, but not
as much as before.

--Fireweed