I have been distracted over the holiday break, and this has meant that over the last month or so I have allowed some commenters through whom I would normally have cut off at the pass. The tone of the blog has suffered badly as a result. Those commentors are aggressive and are discouraging other voices, and that is not what this blog is about, although I suppose it is an object lesson on how easily a few disruptive commentors can ruin a discussion. Such disruptive comments also violated the comments policy as soon as the wolves threw off their sheep-cloaks, and their later comments should not have been approved. It just encouraged the others (such as the liar in moderation right now who I am not going to approve), and I should have known better.
This blog is meant to be a place for explaining the basics of various feminisms, and for constructive debate with people who wish to engage in good faith. I’m no longer willing to entertain commentors who merely want to harangue feminists about how we’ve got it all wrong and just want to rule over men. They are stealing our oxygen, their woman-hating is palpable and they are boring besides.
So, although dissenting commentors spouting oft-debunked MRA cliches will continue to provide us fodder for future FAQs from the moderation queue, they will no longer be allowed free rein on comments threads. I’m about to go back and disemvowel and delete as necessary.
Sorry about the interruption to normal services.
P.S. Dissenting commentors who can engage in discussion without resorting to disruptive behaviours such as stereotyping and imputing motives based on perceived affiliations, or posting excessively frequent or excessively long comments, or other vexatious behaviours, are still welcome.
Finally, A Feminism 101 Blog 
You gave me some wonderful advice on another blog recently tigtog which I have now implemented at my own blog and the difference is startling. Discussions are open and much more respectful than they were previously.
Unfortunately, I bought into the old ‘freedom of speech’ and ‘censorship’ arguments. But I now see that is just a load of crap sprouted by guys (and it is mostly men who post abusive comments) who want others to provide them with a forum.
A blog is the personal property of the owner and those who visit should respect the site just like they would any home or business premises they visit.
Deborah, I’m glad that instituting some moderation on your blog is working for you. The main thing is to stay consistent, and that is where I dropped the ball over the last month or so in letting comments through that were simply seeking to dominate the debate rather than engage in civil discussion.
It’s a fine line to walk, and it’s the comments which are not abusive but which are vexatious which are the greatest problem, because the question of publishing them is not so clearcut.
Good for you!
Besides, protection from censorship is granted by the government to it’s citizens…and even then, this protection is not absolute. There is nothing unprincipled about making a safe space for feminists to share ideas and thoughts. These blogs are practically the only place we have for this!
Thank you.
Yes, I feel the same way. It’s terrible that people just cannot control there own opinions and bounce back what I believe more often.
Anyone would think I, ME, MEMEMEMEME, was wrong!
Ban them all and let me echo.
Dissent is fine. Disruption is not.
Commenting here only until the disrupter can work the discussion around to the alleged armies of radical feminists cowing male legislators with their Disapproval of Steel is not debating in good faith. That assertion and its various sister assertions about the mysterious rule of radfems who are just wrong wrongitty wrong and Ruining It All are ludicrous and just waste pixels and energy.
Debate something real.