A few things about the group hosting issues

One, no host can remove a post no matter how egregiously the post violates the purpose of the forum. Our powers are limitted to locking threads, pinning threads, blocking posters, and naming posters hosts. Posts which contain insults, much less homophobic ones, are clearly against the community standards of DU and should be taken care of by juries. Sadly, juries haven't always been doing their jobs so it has fallen to our hosts to do their jobs for them. I have, and will continue to, block unrepentent posters for posting comments that are across the line regardless of jury decisions. To be clear, accusing female posters (straight, bi, or lesbian) of being man haters is unacceptable conduct (frankly I think for DU let alone here). Such posts will lead to a host asking for it to be removed and for an apology. If neither are forthcoming, then action will be taken.

Two, May has been a very bad month for me and I have had very limitted time to spend on DU. I made two trips to Ohio (one to watch my dad die and bury him, and one to clear up loose ends such as signing thankyou notes etc.) I missed 6 days of school and faced grade deadlines that fell before Memorial day requiring twelve hour days. In short, I have not been as present as normal and thus people such as William have had to step up. For the most part, I think things went fairly smoothly.

Three, In the case of the thread where the conduct occured, the jury system worked (Halleluah) and I think that is why hosts were reticent to act further. In my case, I frankly didn't see the post as I was traveling and/or working. There will be a block put on the offending poster as soon as I am done posting this. Again, to be clear, such posts have no place here and will result in host action.

Four, As to the beefcake threads, I don't find them problematic frankly nor would I find such threads aimed at those who find females attractive. I would hope this forum wouldn't be entirely made up of such threads, but I feel that clearly labeled threads that are aimed at showing us attractive people, are not a huge problem. I don't view them at work and suggest that others don't either, but otherwise I think they are no more a problem than similar things in say Out Magazine.

Five, As to the lack of female hosts, I plead for any female who reads this forum to please consider being a host. In particular I hope that Yardwork would consider being reinstated. I put any person who wanted to be host in as host so far.

Hope this clears things up.