[hamster-bamster]

I do not know if the software that converts curse words into asterisks is tweakable, but if it is, note that the medical word for the rectal opening is being converted into asterisks, and that seems to be an overkill.

[DocJohn]

Ummm, okay, but since this is a mental health support site, I wouldn't imagine a member needing to use that word so often that we would need to change that.

[hamster-bamster]

http://forums.psychcentral.com/relat...-marriage.html

I needed to use the word in response to a query from an older guy who, after 45 years of marriage, cannot have vaginal sex with his wife due to her vaginal dryness, and is thus considering sex outside of marriage that he would hide from the wife. So I was suggesting that perhaps they try rectal sex as a work-around, and got asterisks, which was very bizarre since I was using a medical term.

The thread has been viewed over 1.5K times over a period of several days, with lots of people acknowledging that the situation is common.

The situation does not, indeed, present a Mental Health concern.

However, relationships-communication forum is open for general concerns such as this, and not just to concerns of having relationships with depressed, dissociating, etc. individuals.

So it seems that given that relationships-communication and sex/gender issues forum are made available to the users, the software should enable posting on those forums in such a way that non-curse words are not made into asterisks.

Plus, this is not the industry standard. Here is a recent article from the New York Times that spells "genitals and ****".

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2013/05/25...o-problem.html

And on here "genitals" are OK but "****" is not. Which kind of makes no sense .

If the software is not tweakable, then sure, no issues. However, if it is tweakable, justifying its current state by referring to the fact that the site is dedicated to Mental Health does not seem to make much sense.

[Ladyzero]

Sorry h.b. But indeed worry about larger things ! Does it really matter ?

[hamster-bamster]

Originally Posted by Ladyzero

Does it really matter ?

It does - trying to be more of a censor than the New York Times is not the way to go .

[Ladyzero]

Really. Too many things to worry about. I have to say, I usually support and take your words onboard, but this one, just says moan for moans sake. H.b. DOES IT MATTER ? Err No. In the great scheme of things,no. So F**king what. You must have so little to worry about other than a few ***

[hamster-bamster]

Originally Posted by Ladyzero

Really. Too many things to worry about. I have to say, I usually support and take your words onboard, but this one, just says moan for moans sake. H.b. DOES IT MATTER ? Err No. In the great scheme of things,no. So F**king what. You must have so little to worry about other than a few ***

Oh, I have plenty of things to worry about - more than an average person. Way more.

But I do care about the first amendment and censorship, even in this kind of context. is there a thing such as the first amendment in the UK? I think there is even more - truth justifies what would be libel in the us, no?

At any rate, the site administration can make their judgment now, but it looks ridiculous when a medical term which is not a curse word is being censored.

[Morgansangel]

I have to say I agree, I used it about myself the other day, meaning I was being uptight about something and was really surprised it was blanked out. It's really not a swear word… if penis or urethra or vagina arent blocked out why should any other body part be?

[hamster-bamster]

Originally Posted by Morgansangel

It's really not a swear word… if penis or urethra or vagina arent blocked out why should any other body part be?

exactly - where do you draw the line? if body parts are equated with curse words, then we might as well put asterisks instead of the word "brain" - it is a body part, after all

Originally Posted by Ladyzero

Really. Too many things to worry about. I have to say, I usually support and take your words onboard, but this one, just says moan for moans sake. H.b. DOES IT MATTER ? Err No. In the great scheme of things,no. So F**king what. You must have so little to worry about other than a few ***

If it "matters" to some of us then yes, it matters...even to those of us who do have other things to do, go figure. Did you use the f word to make some kind of point? Since you don't care yourself, not sure why you are even responding, and goodness you get nasty quickly, esp. about something you allegedly don't care about.

I agree regarding the censorship issue...it's a discussion re: a human body part and not a swear word.

Originally Posted by Morgansangel

I have to say I agree, I used it about myself the other day, meaning I was being uptight about something and was really surprised it was blanked out. It's really not a swear word… if penis or urethra or vagina arent blocked out why should any other body part be?

That too! I can't say how **** my father is about things and it's the most accurate word.

a n a l

hey it works if you put spaces in...ha.

[DocJohn]

Ha, yes, so funny... it goes against the community guidelines to circumvent the profanity filter, so please don't.

I draw the line, and while you are welcomed to disagree about *where* I draw the line, the line is drawn where it is in my book for a reason. Some words can be misused as profanity, and this is one that is often misused in that manner.

Thanks for the feedback.