Censorship

[TK]

This question brought up the censorship of board writers, and I feel like that's come up several times in recent answers. What kind of stuff is being censored?

[mic0]

I can't think of any recent answers that have been censored, but a couple of mine have been in the past. There was one where the reader asked if it is ethical to raise a child with religion if the parents are not religious. There were a few things I wanted to say that weren't really, fundamentally bad, but did not reflect what BYU stands for as a whole.

Mostly we just self-censor, because we all know the guidelines which we should follow. So if a question comes in about sex, even though it is within marriage and they just want innocent advice, we are all extremely careful with what we say because we wouldn't want our sponsor to be irked. That's just one example.

I noticed that PW's answer and mine haven't gotten any votes! That's what the truth gets ya - nothin'.

[Dragon Lady]

Well, once upon a time, the Board was shut down for about 3 months for using the word "poop." (Ask Katya for more details. I wasn't around then.) Since then the Board has moved from BYUSA to NewsNet, which thankfully isn't quite as strict. However, you can see why the editors will censor things that, perhaps, are not BYU-approved. Sometimes writers have been a little too crass, for example. (That's probably the biggest reason editors have censored.) Sometimes things that should be taken seriously or sacred are treated just a hair or two too lightly. It's a fine line and often the editors err on the side of caution. Which is as it should be. The Board should be a place that people shouldn't feel awkward reading. We represent BYU and are some people's only exposure to mormonism. Thus we should be an example on it. A light on a hill, if you will. Anyway, that's my experience with things that have been censored. It's possible there are more.

[Marduk]

I'm going to come back to this to offer specific opinions on the censorship in general, but I just wanted to say....

I voted for Mico's answer, and ESPECIALLY PW's. I think PW is wonderful too! Also, I owe you dinner now. (Which is pretty much the only way I apologize or give gratitude. I should probably diversify.)

[mic0]

I think the editors do a great job. A couple of times I have written answers that I thought were fine but they told me crossed the very thin line. Looking back, I could see what they meant but couldn't see it for myself. It is definitely better to be careful than wind up offending someone, in my opinion. At the same time, there are a lot of questions I simply don't answer because I know what I have to say will not get on the Board.

Thanks Marduk! I'm sure PW thanks you, too.

[ahem.]

Once upon a time there was a question about a girl who felt like she was a victim of a rape, but was having a hard time convincing her bishop and her close friend. The three published opinions were very supportive in nature and gave lots of advice about how to proceed in her situation.

But I remember hearing that a few writers wanted to express an opinion that the incident might not have been 100% the guy's fault and instead try to defend the close friend's point of view. But the other writers and editors overwhelmingly disagreed that such an opinion should be expressed and the dissenting opinion never got published.

Obviously a very VERY touchy subject, and perhaps it was handled in an appropriate manner. But it is still an example of certain opinions being censored.

[Imogen]

Once upon a time there was a question about a girl who felt like she was a victim of a rape, but was having a hard time convincing her bishop and her close friend. The three published opinions were very supportive in nature and gave lots of advice about how to proceed in her situation.

But I remember hearing that a few writers wanted to express an opinion that the incident might not have been 100% the guy's fault and instead try to defend the close friend's point of view. But the other writers and editors overwhelmingly disagreed that such an opinion should be expressed and the dissenting opinion never got published.

Obviously a very VERY touchy subject, and perhaps it was handled in an appropriate manner. But it is still an example of certain opinions being censored.

i think that was smart. in my humble opinion, rape is NEVER the victim's fault, no matter what the circumstances are. that would have certainly led to me thinking less of those writers.

[thebigcheese]

Heh. A friend of mine always yells "RAPE HER!" whenever he sees a girl jogging alone at night. It's obviously a joke (and kind of a sick one at that), but...he has a point.

[mic0]

That sounds like a very, very appropriate form of censorship.

[Paperback_Writer]

I agree with the other writers and say that a lot of times sometimes I'll write a joking answer or something and the editors will censor it because they didn't think it was appropriate to joke. And I'm glad that they do that because it's hard to see all perspectives of things, and see how my jokes could be offensive.

There was one http://theboard.byu.edu/questions/59848/ when the asker was asking about pre-marital exams and what to expect. I was explaining in a basic way what to expect and used the proper, anatomical term "vagina" which I felt was appropriate. Let's all be mature and use the correct terminology. But the editors changed it to "down there." And then, even later after it was posted, it was changed to "look inside." I think that the only time I was censored and was annoyed by it. Now, if I had used that word in a non-serious or humorous way, it would have definitely been inappropriate and I can see why it would have been edited.

I know that the editors have to be very careful and must err on the side of caution, like Mico said. Overall, I think they do a good job. No matter what you do, you can't always make everyone happy. And the sponsor is the person that needs to stay happy.

Aw, thanks Marduk! I think you do a great job at running the board board and felt like you needed some recognition for it. I don't make comments a lot, but I do read pretty frequently just to see what the readers are saying and to know y'all's opinions.

[finp]

i think that was smart. in my humble opinion, rape is NEVER the victim's fault, no matter what the circumstances are. that would have certainly led to me thinking less of those writers.

This is clearly goign to be an unpopular opinion, and I'm not sure how wise it is to dip my toe in this one. But. I think there is something to say for freedom of expression even in this case.

If people are asking the Board writers for their take on things, they have to accept that sometimes writers are going to disagree with and/or question the reader's presentation of facts.

Hypothetically, it is possible for a girl to willingly sleep with a dude and then later freak out and decide that a few half-heartedly mumbled words of uncertaintly absolved her of all responsibility for her participation. I'm not sayin that's necessarily true in the situation mentioned, but IT IS POSSIBLE.

So I'm not sure that 1 carefully worded response in the face of 3 super supportive response would be COMPLETELY INAPPROPRAITE! DELETE! DELETE! DELETE!

[TheAnswerIs42]

Going back to the general topic (because I don't even want to touch the rape topic), we all censor ourselves naturally. And that's a good thing. There are times probably every day that the first (and often most truthful) words that pop into my head are not what I realize I should say. Un-kind opinions you have about people I see, times when my kids drive me crazy but I keep smiling anyway, etc. And sometimes I really wish there was a small committee that checked everything I said before it made it out into the open. We all have to be careful who we represent and how we represent them, whether that is a university, our family, or just representing ourselves.

[Katya]

i think that was smart. in my humble opinion, rape is NEVER the victim's fault, no matter what the circumstances are. that would have certainly led to me thinking less of those writers.

This is clearly goign to be an unpopular opinion, and I'm not sure how wise it is to dip my toe in this one. But. I think there is something to say for freedom of expression even in this case.

The problem with this argument is that Board writers and Board questioners do not have an equal relationship. Board writers always get the last word (excluding comments), so I'd say that it behooves Board writers to choose their words especially carefully, because they have more power in the dialogue. (Board writers who do not choose their words carefully tend to end up on the receiving end of a barrage of angry comments and/or follow-up questions, which makes for defensive Board writers and editors, which leads to a general mess.)

[Tao]

finp, you are right, and I'd say that the statistics in Provo would back you up. (Provo runs 1/2 to 1/3 the national average in almost every classification of crime, except rape, which is about on par with the national average. One way to read that is that there is less of a criminal mindset there, but the strict moral atmosphere lends itself to a night of passion being represented as a rape case the next morning {or when the next period is missed.})

The problem the Board faces is that it cannot know the individual to whom it is speaking. And even if situations were such that it did, there will always be another reader who can relate personally. So while there may be some (perhaps even a fair number) of people who could do with hearing that a rape claim may not be what it is purported to be, is it worth the psychological trauma upon the one (or many) innocents who are struggling with the thought that their rape was somehow their fault?

I'd not be willing to say that the benefits outweigh the costs there.

[Whistler]

IThere was one http://theboard.byu.edu/questions/59848/ when the asker was asking about pre-marital exams and what to expect. I was explaining in a basic way what to expect and used the proper, anatomical term "vagina" which I felt was appropriate. Let's all be mature and use the correct terminology. But the editors changed it to "down there." And then, even later after it was posted, it was changed to "look inside." I think that the only time I was censored and was annoyed by it. Now, if I had used that word in a non-serious or humorous way, it would have definitely been inappropriate and I can see why it would have been edited.

Seriously? That is ridiculous. I think Cognoscente got away with a few "damns"; why is vagina suddenly a bad word?

I was asked to change an answer once -- I suggested a reader could find a torrent file of a foreign film that was not available for purchase. I think I ended up asking the reader to e-mail me and sent him/her whatever I had found.

[Gimgimno]

PW isn't giving all the facts. I saw her answer before the editors changed it. She gratuitously detailed every part of the female anatomy and used very vulgar slang terms to make her point. DISGUSTING.

Okay, maybe that's totally false. MAYBE.

[TheBlackSheep]

I was only asked to change an answer once, which shocks me, looking back. (From what I understand, there's no way some of that stuff would have been approved if I was writing now. Bless the editors.) I had written a slightly more out-there version of Cognoscente's response to this question: http://theboard.byu.edu/questions/56656/ I just ended up deleting it, and luckily Cognoscente wrote up an answer that got approved.

[Paperback_Writer]

PW isn't giving all the facts. I saw her answer before the editors changed it. She gratuitously detailed every part of the female anatomy and used very vulgar slang terms to make her point. DISGUSTING.

Okay, maybe that's totally false. MAYBE.

Oh no! He ratted me out! How dare you, Gimgimno!!!11!!!1

[Emiliana]

I was only asked to change an answer once, which shocks me, looking back. (From what I understand, there's no way some of that stuff would have been approved if I was writing now. Bless the editors.) I had written a slightly more out-there version of Cognoscente's response to this question: http://theboard.byu.edu/questions/56656/ I just ended up deleting it, and luckily Cognoscente wrote up an answer that got approved.

What are some things that you wrote about that you wouldn't be allowed to now? And why are the standards different now?

[Imogen]

PW isn't giving all the facts. I saw her answer before the editors changed it. She gratuitously detailed every part of the female anatomy and used very vulgar slang terms to make her point. DISGUSTING.

Okay, maybe that's totally false. MAYBE.

Oh no! He ratted me out! How dare you, Gimgimno!!!11!!!1

gimini-cricket is a snitch too?!?! man, no wonder no one likes you. [redacted], and then i bought a unicorn!

in all seriousness, i think katya's point is the best. while i'm never for censorship in theory, the fact is the writers DO get final final say, even with comments since those are screened.

i remember being nervous my birth control comment wouldn't post because of a point i was making about the nuva-ring, and i tried to be as clean as possible in describing the issue with it. if this were any other board, i would've just said what i meant out right, but i self-censored because i knew i had valuable experience to share with that reader and didn't want any possible vulgar language prevent that information from reaching her. and i self-censor when i teach. normally, if i hurt myself i say a cuss word really loud. at school i usually say something like "oh that hurt!" since i'm trying to model good behavior to my kiddos.

you know what i hate though, when someone assumes a person is being PC and jumps on them for it. i try to be very sensitive when i write because there's no tone in writing, and i hate when people say "oh she's just being PC. FIRST AMENDMENT I CAN SAY WHAT I WANT I'M AN AMERICAN!" but free speech DOESN'T mean we can say what we want whenever we want. we still have to be responsible for what we say.