There is a suggestion for a sticky thread in the Feminine Mystique section- This one having to do with online predators stalking female performers:
http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......m=220&40
I think it is a good idea. Since I started the thread a while back I have had conversations with a lot of female performers who have gone through some similar and scary situations. I think that it is important that they know they are not alone and there are some good suggestions on how to deal with it.
Gwyd

I disagree. A fetish is a fetish no matter where or what. I feel making a sticky topic will just play towards fears as opposed to being a PSA, as well as open the topic up to urban legends. MOST people know enough to protect themselves and do the needed reasearch in these situations.

Play towards fears and open the topic up to urban legends?
The fears are legitimate. As for urban legends...Not sure what you are referring to. The fellow used as an example in the thread had pics up of at least 5 performers and had contacted several directly. Not an Urban Legend.
"MOST people know enough to protect themselves and do the needed reasearch in these situations."
That was a little patronizing. It implies that folks who would look to this forum for support are either too lazy or stupid to seek other courses of action. When I started the thread I simply wanted to know how pervasive the problem was and what others had done about it in the past. I was looking to see if I was making a big deal about it or if it was something that was a real concern. It was a real concern and allayed my fears about overreacting. It helped me and it has helped others.
Very sorry if it got in the way of new card slights (Something else that could easily be researched by MOST people here)

Just my opinion. Whether I am right or wrong it is just that - an opinion. I didn't imply anything - I think you just interpreted it as such

I am not a moderator, so I of course have no say in the matter. It seems like the thread started out relating to magic, but just escallated from there.

I just see where it can pose more harm than good. Again, just my opinion. If there was to be a stick through, I think the Tangled Web we Weave would be an excellent spot.

From day #1 I've thought there were far too many men both participating in, and registering their opinions on, The Feminine Mystique forum.

Frankly, it's the creepiest forum on the Magic Café when long, drawn out threads containing posts primarily from men ramble on about what would be good for the forum, and what would be good for women.

I'd never been to that forum until I clicked Gwyd's link. I agree with Silverking that it's a bit strange that men who don't perform with a woman would ever bother to go to that forum. Hm.

But as for the sticky: if Gwyd says he's aware of problems out there, then there are problems out there. If there are problems out there, then those in that forum should be talking about those problems, so a sticky could be useful and helpful.

As for EventEntertainer's comments: funny how I understood the comments in just about the same way Gwyd did. So the phrase, "I think you just interpreted it as such" should be applied to at least two people.

To EventEntertainer directly: if at least two people mis-interpreted your comments, maybe you weren't quite as clear as you would like to have been. Just a thought.

Jeff

Considering the mandate of the forum, as originally stated by Café management is:

Serious discussions surrounding the problems and/or advantages of performing magic as a woman. For example, clothing issues with pulls, topits, holdouts, etc. Ladies, this area is provided especially for you!

........from day #1, I've wondered why guys seeing the sentence stating "Ladies, this area is provided especially for you", somehow thought that was their invitation to join in?

There is more pomposity in magic than in most professions, and I am not surprised that the most pompus male magicians go there to tell women what they are doing wrong.

It's the weirdest forum on the Magic Café.

If I were to read a forum description that contained the text "Ladies, this area is provided especially for you!", I'd certainly stay out unless I was invited in, and even then I'd leave just as quickly again.

In fact, the VERY FIRST POST put up when the forum first came to be was from Big Daddy Cool positing his thought of "I hope I'm welcome here".

Using the males "lurking" in The Feminine Mystique forum as an example, one could say that the general ridicule suffered by male magicians might be something they quite intentioally bring upon themselves.

We can't restrict a forum to just one gender but I believe Al has hit the nail on the head. We're all a bunch of chauvinists and regardless of any denials, we just have show our superiority and "teach" the females what to do.

I think the gender in question should really read the stated purpose of the forum, understand what the optics of telling female magicians "what the Magic Café Men think about womens issues" actually look like..........and then do a much better job of restricting themselves!!.

Gsidhe
I just went to the womans forum, and read those stories. I must say that I never thought of sexual preditors in magic. I did not post my opinion there because there are far too many men posting there already. As a happily married children's magician I guess I lead a very sheltered life.