On 9/16/04 20:52 in the Merchant Forum here (for which it is a TOS violation to excerpt or reword posts), there was a post regarding a particular product name. This post, and the resultant thread, was a continuation of a separate one. I was not the poster. While I commented in the first one, I did not in the second one until I'd had enough. In the course of this thread, the administration of this site set forth as part of their present policy the following things: 1.) The denigrating term was not offensive to them, allowing anyone to thereby use said term to denigrate other women within the site since it is not officially an offensive phrase under TOS. Since there is no specific list of terms given, one can potentially expect that with a possible solitary exception, any term which denigrates women is acceptable and allowed within Renderosity TOS. 2.) Acted in a manner which was insensitive, dismissive, and condescending towards the individuals and the concrns expressed regarding this denigrating term. I have not reworked nor reposted the thread. I have simply described it in general terms. This will likely not matter, however. I became incensed that a community which claims (though aspires is a better term) to function professionally and supposedly seeks to promote community would both act in such a manner and make such a broad based decision when it was blatantly obvious that the term was offensive to a large number of merchants responding, and when a reasonable person would be aware that the term is, in the larger community beyond the site, predominantly considered rude and vulgar. I am generally a fairly reasonable person and not particularly given to breaking rules to which I agreed. There comes a time, however, when, for what one believes is right, that one must act, regardless of the risk or outcome. Therefore I have done so. I have recieved thus far one TOS vioaltion and had my access - and the access of a business to which I am partner -- to the Merchant forum removed for having begun the process of posting the complete thread (though I was unable to finish). I have essentially begun a campaign of awareness with the purpose of ensuring that the membership of renderosity and the customers who shop here -- inclusive of my own store and the store of that business to which I am part -- what the apparent policy of renderosity is towards the treatment and consideration of women. This appears to be, based on what is allowed in the store and the actions of the administration in dealing with matters such as this one, that women are second class, and of less concern to them, and unworthy of equitable treatment. So what can fix this? Action on the part of the administration to apologize for behavior and conduct and a retraction of the policy. Despite attempts by others and administration to make this particular point into an issue focussing on a single word, I want to make it clear that it has nothing whatsoever to do with a product or a product name, and that it has everything to do with the conduct and policy implementation of the site's administration. Apologies should be for behavior and conduct, not the policy, and the policy needs to be revisited, with acceptable and posted guidelines put in place. Until such time as these elements are done, I shall continue to attempt to educate the membership and customers of Renderosisty -- both current and potential -- as to this policy, as it is unlikely one that it is desired the customer base be made aware of.

thou and I, my friend, can, in the most flunkey world, make, each of us, one non-flunkey, one hero, if we like: that will be two heroes to begin with. (Carlyle)