Changes being made to the board as of June 24, 2020
Jun 24, 2020 16:53:54 GMT -5
El Pollo Guerrera, DSR, and 62 more like this
Post by Joe Neglia on Jun 24, 2020 16:53:54 GMT -5
Well, um...hi, everyone. Read any good books, lately?
Ok: suffice it to say, I did not start this week thinking I'd be in this position. At all. Yet, here we are, and it's hopefully something that will end up being a positive as we move forward. Let me go over a few possible questions people might have right now; if you'd like to ask more below I apologize if I don't have answers to everything at the moment, but I'll do my best to at least provide a basic introduction:
Who are you?
My name is Joe Neglia, as my handle states. I'm a long time poster, having signed up on the old, old board back in 2004. I'm from the United States and live on the east coast, am in my 30s, own my own apartment in the city, and lovingly yet sometimes begrudgingly take care of a very cute puppy and cat. I grew up watching the WWF of the early 90s, WCW of the late 90s, then at different times over the years was one of the board's biggest cheerleaders for first Ring of Honor, and lately New Japan Pro Wrestling. I'm a social studies nerd, a musician, a part time writer, and dabbling voice actor, who's long been an enthusiast for sports, road trips (road trips to see sports?), singing, craft beer, old school Disney theme parks and, if we go far enough back in my life, dinosaurs.
So yeah, HMark? That's me.
Where's Madison?
Madison has personal reasons for taking a leave right now, the extent of which I am not personally familiar with outside of him needing time to deal with an ailment. His recent thread, in which he confessed to an event 12 years ago that he felt was an abuse of his status as administrator, is not actually the main impetus behind him stepping away right now. Rather, he was already thinking of taking a leave, but did not wish to do so without first saying what he felt was necessary about the incident, especially in light of the current circumstances surrounding the pro wrestling world with the Speaking Out movement. I apologize in advance, but I'll likely be deleting that thread soon; not because it's an attempt to hide anything, but because now that we've switched over to me as admin, it appears with my real name on the thread, which might create some confusion. If there's an alternative method to save it, I'll certainly consider it.
I hope Madison will still be around in some capacity, but I cannot say when/if that will be.
So...what does this change?
In terms of day to day operations? My hope on that front is not too much. However, there are things we can stand to improve on, including aspects of the board where much of the staff and I feel there has been a good deal of progress over the years, but that we can always look to build on.
Let me start with this: there's a reason why I've posted on this board as long as I have, and it's a reason I hear many of you speak of whenever such a conversation comes up - this is a board that actually does the work to moderate itself and the kinds and tones of conversations we have here. It might seem overbearing at times, but when I look around the internet, particularly at sites that discuss the various pop cultural ephemera this site specializes in (be it wrestling, comics, film, video games, etc.), I see a lot of places that are lackadaisical about posters being disrespectful, particularly towards one another, often creating a negative feedback loop that encourages fighting, pointless arguments, and a generally toxic tone.
Here, meanwhile, I'm very proud of the fact that while it's been a culture that's taken many years to build, we've created a space to discuss these topics without creating overt obstacles for anyone who wishes to engage. For a wrestling board, I feel we do a good job minimizing the "company war" style of posting that can so typify discussion in many other places, allowing fans of any promotion to have a place to talk and share their thoughts without things devolving into us vs. them. Hell, I'd say I'm most proud of the fact that this board stands out as one that has strong representation from the LGBTQ+ community; the fact we have members who have felt comfortable starting threads for the purpose of coming out as trans, for example, is emblematic of the kind of inclusiveness I want us to continue and build on.
We've been lucky enough to have a strong moderation staff over the years, and it's my hope that they'll continue being here doing the good job they're known for doing. Keeping this site a more positive, inclusive space is a team effort, given some of the voices out there who would seek to undo that, and I don't think I would have agreed to take this position if I didn't have confidence in the group I've worked alongside for so many years now.
But seriously, c'mon...what's really changing?
Alright, maybe a couple of things, but it has less to do with how this board operates and more with goals I'd like to see us pursue, especially in the trying times that has been, well, the entirety of the year 2020.
While I'm definitely proud of our overall tone and inclusiveness here, recent events have certainly put a spotlight on an issue that I've long felt is something we haven't dealt with as well as we could; not because we didn't want to, not because of things that were directly the fault of anyone in charge here, but perhaps due to us just lacking the tools necessary to properly address the matter, or in some cases blindness to an issue that was not always immediately visible.
The issue is this: I feel we've lost too many women posters here over the years, and to me that's a problem that warrants addressing. As I said, there are steps we've taken over the years to try and tamp down on the perception of the forum being an uncomfortable space for women, be they cis or trans or however they might identify; the most obvious has been undoing the old "women of (insert wrestling company here)" threads, which too often took on a tone that put across a boys' club image of this place.
This is no one person's fault, I believe: it's long been the culture of the "geekier" side of the internet, and it's something many fandoms and sites have only recently begun to reckon with, long overdue as it may be, and unfortunately many of us take that negative culture for granted sometimes, even as we're not always aware of its effects. However, there have been direct claims from multiple women who do or have posted here that they have, at various times, been made to deal with uncomfortable or downright creepy messages, or other behaviors that cast a cloud over the proceedings here. I don't have much firsthand experience with this, I admit; I have not tried to engage with women posters in this way in the past, and many of the worst stories have not yet been shared with me, though the things I have been told of late have been eye-opening, for sure. I look back on my own past as a poster and mod here and wonder where I might've done better, or where I might've failed to create that comfortable place all of our posters are entitled to, and I want to take that very seriously if I am now going to be in a position of authority.
So here's what I'm envisioning, at least early on, as well as what I am not looking for:
-I am NOT telling posters they can't express that they find, say, a female wrestler attractive. That's always been fine, and will continue to be fine.
-I am NOT telling posters they can't have honest, open, mature, and civil conversations that deal with matters of sexuality, at least to a degree. This is still mostly a PG-13 site, keep in mind, but there's ways to discuss who we are without going into too many details or steering conversations in a direction that isn't proper for the community at large.
-What I AM looking for is for posters to keep our golden rule in mind: that everyone who posts here in good faith is to be treated with respect and dignity. This obviously goes for threads where there are differences of opinions, as it's always been, but this extends to how we treat one another in other contexts, as well.
I'll put this as bluntly as I can: if a poster here feels they have been harassed, bullied, or treated in an inappropriate manner, particularly if it's in a sexual way, then I want them to reach out to myself or to any of our mods, and if we look into the matter and find there to be something amiss, be it due to there being receipts of inappropriate behavior or any reasonable suspicion, action on the matter will be quick and decisive, with banning being the most likely outcome.
This does not apply to disagreements or arguments; sometimes tempers flare, we're all only human. I would ask this not apply to one-off circumstances unless they are egregious enough to warrant a report, which is certainly up to the discretion of the person doing the reporting. I do ask that people who feel they can offer a better perspective than I (a straight, cis white guy who makes a reasonably comfortable living) can feel free to reach out and discuss other ideas they feel might be constructive to these ends, particularly those who might feel nervous about speaking on such matters publicly. If you reach out to me or our moderators, our mission is to abide by that golden rule and not to judge you; we might not be able to implement every idea even if we want to, but we want to make sure those that need it get a fair chance to be heard.
Ok, that was some heavy stuff. How about something lighter: is this the end of your time here as HMark?
Honestly, I hope not. My intention is to use this account for administrative purposes: announcements, making people mods, handling issues in a more official capacity, etc. You're welcome to message it as necessary regarding such matters.
However, I started here as a regular poster, and a poster I still intend to be; hence, in most casual interactions and discussions you'll like still see me here as HMark.
I don't know, it'd just feel weird otherwise.
Thank you all for your time, patience, and willingness to read this mini-tome I've written (what else is new). I hope we have a smooth transition and that I can fulfill the role I've been asked to step into in a way that's beneficial to all of us. How about one more question?
How much are they paying you for this?!
Not a damn thing. I need a better agent.
Ok: suffice it to say, I did not start this week thinking I'd be in this position. At all. Yet, here we are, and it's hopefully something that will end up being a positive as we move forward. Let me go over a few possible questions people might have right now; if you'd like to ask more below I apologize if I don't have answers to everything at the moment, but I'll do my best to at least provide a basic introduction:
Who are you?
My name is Joe Neglia, as my handle states. I'm a long time poster, having signed up on the old, old board back in 2004. I'm from the United States and live on the east coast, am in my 30s, own my own apartment in the city, and lovingly yet sometimes begrudgingly take care of a very cute puppy and cat. I grew up watching the WWF of the early 90s, WCW of the late 90s, then at different times over the years was one of the board's biggest cheerleaders for first Ring of Honor, and lately New Japan Pro Wrestling. I'm a social studies nerd, a musician, a part time writer, and dabbling voice actor, who's long been an enthusiast for sports, road trips (road trips to see sports?), singing, craft beer, old school Disney theme parks and, if we go far enough back in my life, dinosaurs.
So yeah, HMark? That's me.
Where's Madison?
Madison has personal reasons for taking a leave right now, the extent of which I am not personally familiar with outside of him needing time to deal with an ailment. His recent thread, in which he confessed to an event 12 years ago that he felt was an abuse of his status as administrator, is not actually the main impetus behind him stepping away right now. Rather, he was already thinking of taking a leave, but did not wish to do so without first saying what he felt was necessary about the incident, especially in light of the current circumstances surrounding the pro wrestling world with the Speaking Out movement. I apologize in advance, but I'll likely be deleting that thread soon; not because it's an attempt to hide anything, but because now that we've switched over to me as admin, it appears with my real name on the thread, which might create some confusion. If there's an alternative method to save it, I'll certainly consider it.
I hope Madison will still be around in some capacity, but I cannot say when/if that will be.
So...what does this change?
In terms of day to day operations? My hope on that front is not too much. However, there are things we can stand to improve on, including aspects of the board where much of the staff and I feel there has been a good deal of progress over the years, but that we can always look to build on.
Let me start with this: there's a reason why I've posted on this board as long as I have, and it's a reason I hear many of you speak of whenever such a conversation comes up - this is a board that actually does the work to moderate itself and the kinds and tones of conversations we have here. It might seem overbearing at times, but when I look around the internet, particularly at sites that discuss the various pop cultural ephemera this site specializes in (be it wrestling, comics, film, video games, etc.), I see a lot of places that are lackadaisical about posters being disrespectful, particularly towards one another, often creating a negative feedback loop that encourages fighting, pointless arguments, and a generally toxic tone.
Here, meanwhile, I'm very proud of the fact that while it's been a culture that's taken many years to build, we've created a space to discuss these topics without creating overt obstacles for anyone who wishes to engage. For a wrestling board, I feel we do a good job minimizing the "company war" style of posting that can so typify discussion in many other places, allowing fans of any promotion to have a place to talk and share their thoughts without things devolving into us vs. them. Hell, I'd say I'm most proud of the fact that this board stands out as one that has strong representation from the LGBTQ+ community; the fact we have members who have felt comfortable starting threads for the purpose of coming out as trans, for example, is emblematic of the kind of inclusiveness I want us to continue and build on.
We've been lucky enough to have a strong moderation staff over the years, and it's my hope that they'll continue being here doing the good job they're known for doing. Keeping this site a more positive, inclusive space is a team effort, given some of the voices out there who would seek to undo that, and I don't think I would have agreed to take this position if I didn't have confidence in the group I've worked alongside for so many years now.
But seriously, c'mon...what's really changing?
Alright, maybe a couple of things, but it has less to do with how this board operates and more with goals I'd like to see us pursue, especially in the trying times that has been, well, the entirety of the year 2020.
While I'm definitely proud of our overall tone and inclusiveness here, recent events have certainly put a spotlight on an issue that I've long felt is something we haven't dealt with as well as we could; not because we didn't want to, not because of things that were directly the fault of anyone in charge here, but perhaps due to us just lacking the tools necessary to properly address the matter, or in some cases blindness to an issue that was not always immediately visible.
The issue is this: I feel we've lost too many women posters here over the years, and to me that's a problem that warrants addressing. As I said, there are steps we've taken over the years to try and tamp down on the perception of the forum being an uncomfortable space for women, be they cis or trans or however they might identify; the most obvious has been undoing the old "women of (insert wrestling company here)" threads, which too often took on a tone that put across a boys' club image of this place.
This is no one person's fault, I believe: it's long been the culture of the "geekier" side of the internet, and it's something many fandoms and sites have only recently begun to reckon with, long overdue as it may be, and unfortunately many of us take that negative culture for granted sometimes, even as we're not always aware of its effects. However, there have been direct claims from multiple women who do or have posted here that they have, at various times, been made to deal with uncomfortable or downright creepy messages, or other behaviors that cast a cloud over the proceedings here. I don't have much firsthand experience with this, I admit; I have not tried to engage with women posters in this way in the past, and many of the worst stories have not yet been shared with me, though the things I have been told of late have been eye-opening, for sure. I look back on my own past as a poster and mod here and wonder where I might've done better, or where I might've failed to create that comfortable place all of our posters are entitled to, and I want to take that very seriously if I am now going to be in a position of authority.
So here's what I'm envisioning, at least early on, as well as what I am not looking for:
-I am NOT telling posters they can't express that they find, say, a female wrestler attractive. That's always been fine, and will continue to be fine.
-I am NOT telling posters they can't have honest, open, mature, and civil conversations that deal with matters of sexuality, at least to a degree. This is still mostly a PG-13 site, keep in mind, but there's ways to discuss who we are without going into too many details or steering conversations in a direction that isn't proper for the community at large.
-What I AM looking for is for posters to keep our golden rule in mind: that everyone who posts here in good faith is to be treated with respect and dignity. This obviously goes for threads where there are differences of opinions, as it's always been, but this extends to how we treat one another in other contexts, as well.
I'll put this as bluntly as I can: if a poster here feels they have been harassed, bullied, or treated in an inappropriate manner, particularly if it's in a sexual way, then I want them to reach out to myself or to any of our mods, and if we look into the matter and find there to be something amiss, be it due to there being receipts of inappropriate behavior or any reasonable suspicion, action on the matter will be quick and decisive, with banning being the most likely outcome.
This does not apply to disagreements or arguments; sometimes tempers flare, we're all only human. I would ask this not apply to one-off circumstances unless they are egregious enough to warrant a report, which is certainly up to the discretion of the person doing the reporting. I do ask that people who feel they can offer a better perspective than I (a straight, cis white guy who makes a reasonably comfortable living) can feel free to reach out and discuss other ideas they feel might be constructive to these ends, particularly those who might feel nervous about speaking on such matters publicly. If you reach out to me or our moderators, our mission is to abide by that golden rule and not to judge you; we might not be able to implement every idea even if we want to, but we want to make sure those that need it get a fair chance to be heard.
Ok, that was some heavy stuff. How about something lighter: is this the end of your time here as HMark?
Honestly, I hope not. My intention is to use this account for administrative purposes: announcements, making people mods, handling issues in a more official capacity, etc. You're welcome to message it as necessary regarding such matters.
However, I started here as a regular poster, and a poster I still intend to be; hence, in most casual interactions and discussions you'll like still see me here as HMark.
I don't know, it'd just feel weird otherwise.
Thank you all for your time, patience, and willingness to read this mini-tome I've written (what else is new). I hope we have a smooth transition and that I can fulfill the role I've been asked to step into in a way that's beneficial to all of us. How about one more question?
How much are they paying you for this?!
Not a damn thing. I need a better agent.