AC Board

[Brent Wood]

First let me say that I am a female solider, on occasion. On the AC Paul Calloway told me that I could not ask questions about the military, because I am a woman. He told me that female reenactors are not welcome, and are not allowed to post, asking any military or weapons questions. He erased all of my posts. At his request, I changed my user name, from Brent Wood, to a more "feminine" name. I posted a question about a gun, which he deleted. This is the response to the question that I asked " Why are you deleting all my posts about the military and weapons.?"




Jennifer -
We spend hours and hours every week moderating very difficult to moderate issues. Personality conflicts, vendor conflicts, event organizer conflicts - this could easily be a full time job for at least a couple of us, if it only paid. Unfortunately it doesn't pay.

When you're spending hours and hours on very complex issues, occassionally a pretty cut-and-dry issue comes along and you say to yourself, "thank God, this one is easy."

The case with you is "easy". When women in the ranks were found out in the war, they were almost always, summarily drummed out of camp. The 105th Ohio Volunteer Infantry had that happen just prior to Perryville in 1862 - they removed her.

So the case is/will be in authentic reenacting - if we know you're a woman doing a military impression, we'll drum you out of camp. It doesn't matter how manly you look - if we know you're a woman, you're out. The way of dealing with this on the AC has always been to ban galtroops from our site - virtually drumming you out of camp.

Thats why your posts have been removed.
__________________
Paul Calloway
Proudest Member of the Tar Water Mess
Proud Member of the GHTI
Member, Civil War Preservation Trust

"Take de little chicken in de middle ob de ring, but don't bet your money on de Shanghai." -- The Honorable Stephen 'Stinkin' Foster


Another question I must ask.. What if I was a female, simply inquiring about History? He erased those posts also. This Behavior is why this hobby, especially "authentic" reenacting is dying.


-Jennifer Cunningham

[SmellyFed]

You made the right decision posting here.

Paul Calloway

[Pvt Peck]

Jennifer:

While Mr. Calloway's method may seem heavy handed to you, it is his board and he can moderate it as he wishes. At least he gave you a very up front & honest answer as to the handling of your account & posts. I would heartily disagree with you on the death of authentic re-enacting & the hobby in general. This country is entangled in foriegn wars at this moment, the economy is in a state of flux, and for a lot of people there is a lot of uncertainty about the future right now. I think that has a lot more to do with smaller numbers in this type of hobby, not the policies of the AC.

Also, at least from my outlook, smaller numbers of better living historians is a GOOD thing. I am not here to defend the AC, as Mr. Calloway can stand up for himself, but I have a lot of respect for that forum, and have learned a great deal over there (one lesson is "play by their rules when in their house").

Realize that if you publicly cast aspersions you must be ready to have them cast back. Unless you are portraying a SPECIFIC known female soldier, in a SPECIFIC time and place secenario, you are very much open to being questioned on your level of, & commitment to, authenticly reenacting history. Could mis-representing history not be seen as contributing to the "death" of authentic re-enacting?

Wishing you luck in your future living history endeavours.

Edward Parrott

[Robert A Mosher]

I remember the thread you posted on the AC Forum.

My first reaction to seeing your posting here was to report it as one of those "us versus them" threads that produce lots of smoke but shed no light or offer any other value. But then I read your posting and recognized that "if she can't raise this here, then where?"

Robert A. Mosher

Hopkins: "Well, in all my years I ain't never heard, seen nor smelled an issue that was so dangerous it couldn't be talked about. **** yeah! I'm for debating anything. Rhode Island says yea!"
From "1776"

[Poor Private]

Welcome "Brent"
This forum is/can be more person friendly. I have found that on the AC answers can be short in temperment and appearance. Sometimes it depends on who is answering your question. But what is funny is that when the same person posts here, he has the same attitude so it may not be the forum per se but the poster. (seems to me that if you were a guest in some one elses house you would bring out your visiting manners)
So in effect don't take it personally.

[SmellyFed]

Robert -
This was actually posted in our Help Desk area. Pretty slick feature. Provost you should look into doing one here.

[FloridaConfederate]

New IP address = $25

New AC account = $ free

Quality kit = $1500 or so

Registration for a EBUFU Tier 1 event = $25

Travel to event = $ eh.... depends

Pulling it off... then posting pics = Priceless

[Pvt Schnapps]

New IP address = $25

New AC account = $ free

Quality kit = $1500 or so

Registration for a EBUFU Tier 1 event = $25

Travel to event = $ eh.... depends

Pulling it off... then posting pics = Priceless

Good advice, but Brent's problem will be that she can only pull it off once. After that, using the AC's logic, she'd be booted out no matter how good her impression is.

This is a decision that has less to do with history than a particular philosophy of reenacting.

It's a shame. As I've said before, many female reenactors stand out not because they would stand out from the real soldiers of the war, but because their boyish looks contrast so much with the average male reenactor -- even the average, self-proclaimed "authentic" reenactor.

Not every woman who passed as a man was especially masculine or entirely unsuspected. An excellent case is that of "Walter Herold", discussed in the book Tarnished Eagles.

But, as stated elsewhere, the AC Forum is a private organ staffed by volunteers who have every right to their own attitude and philosophy.

Brent can still go there to research, I assume, but if she just wants to learn then she'll probably find her time better spent in pure research. And if she just wants to chat with other reenactors, then Paul's right.

Welcome to Szabo's, Jennifer. Try "Common Ground" too -- many of the people who post useful information on the AC Forum post there as well, and the moderators are generally sensitive to people's feelings.

[MBond057]

My thoughts on this thread are the following:

There was a lot of dysentery during the Civil War any many men died from this disease in camp. I don’t see any reenactors taking an overdose of ex-lax to portray a sick solider in camp crapping themselves until they are completely dehydrated at any event. Why has no one or group done this impression since there is plenty of documentation that dysentery caused many Civil War causalities?

When I witness either group of reenactors (mainstream or campaigner) portray a solider with dysentery, I will then follow your philosophy and approach to reenacting. I will follow the group who does this into **** or the nearest outhouse. 

Lighten up my friends………..It’s Christmas!

[SmellyFed]

I happily encourage Jennifer to reenact however she sees fit. Likewise, I own a private forum and I get to run that how I see fit.

Jennifer is more then welcome to create her own forum and post whatever it is she feels passionate about - or find other forums who will allow her particular point of view.

No hard feelings here from me toward her whatsoever.