Why do most women go Anon?

Question

Why do most girls and women go anon even on seemingly non sexual, contentious etc questions?

On GAG we all are eitherway Anon cause most of us use an alternate email (I do myself use an alternate email on every website including health and stuff to prevent too many mails in my work / personal inbox) and screen name.

What's the risk here?

LauraMarx · Accepted Answer

Men terrorise women.

Look at womens profiles, right - they're almost always not accepting messages from people who aren't friends, almost always private, a lot of them don't even accept friend requests. And these are all updates that women asked for from this website. Women needed these preventative measures to stop men from harassing them. Men terrorise women, even on this website. And its still not enough, or maybe they just need to feel safer. So... They go on anon, too. There are some girls on this website who's profiles you'll never see cos they've never interacted with anyone off anon. They're very safe...

This is a really, really big cultural thing. Women are constantly assessing how we're going to be safe from men. We think about when to leave, when to go home, what clothes to wear, what streets to use, which cabs to use, which places we use the bathroom in. A lot of us try not to be in a room alone with men... Apart from close family, I outright refuse to be alone in a room with men. We learn, from very early on... We cannot trust men. We cannot be safe around men. So we take these measures... & of course we take them online, too.

lumos · Accepted Answer

Probably because they're afraid to be judged for their opinion. Or they're afraid of being harassed (often by men), even though the question isn't sexual. Sometimes answers are really personal as well, which makes it difficult to stay revealed and not go anon.

And then we also have a cultural aspect, that women should not take up space. We're constantly told to not be aggressive, because that wouldn't be ladylike. We're constantly told that we are only pretty if we're small (cough, photoshop, cough) and fragile - the less space taken up by us the better. By going anon, we take up less space. We don't tell the world who we are, we hide. Isn't it kind of fascinating how a lot of users on here (mostly women, apparently) are anonymous even without going anon, yet they take that extra step to be extra anonymous? I personally think that does give a good reflection on how society expects women to behave certain ways.

jmowen · Accepted Answer

Fear of being judged. Some have a 'reputation' to uphold or don't want to have a bad rep. Personal questions. Some people use the same handle (username) on other sites so they're afraid someone from another site or someone they know will look them up. Could be anything.

Same goes for the men.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

I would refer you to the female reponder above who said "perverts". We know exactly why she is anon.

As for me, I'm anon because of the hate I get from females when I call them out on stuff. They do not like being called out. Lol.

inamorata · Answer

Over time, as you reply here and show who you are, you reveal little bits of yourself, on purpose or by accident, to a point where you eventually feel like your identity is almost completely exposed.

You may even relate to other people and start caring about what they think. This adds to your new internet identity. And once you've been here long enough, you build a reputation and a persona you may start caring about protecting. And that's when already anonymous people, start going even more anonymous.

Besides this, specific to women is the fact that unlike men, they tend to see their sexuality as something intimate and private, that exposes a lot more than just another bodily function. Sex to women is mostly emotional and it makes them vulnerable. No person likes being vulnerable in front of someone who may know their identity.

So there is a greater sense of shame related to talking about personal experience and perception on sexuality (yours or others'), and this sense of shame leads to so many girls, new, or old members, double anoning their replies.

TheJ3NNA · Answer

I go anon when I ask questions because I feel if I use my username, I am putting myself in a vulnerable position. By that I mean I AM TheJ3NNA. Behind that username is an actual person. A person who is sharing a small piece of themselves with strangers. Its not that I'm afraid of anyone on GAG, it is just an uncomfortable feeling that people will know "this is what's going on in TheJ3NNA's life. This woman exists and is asking these questions that involve her personal thoughts (serious or humorous)". Going anon makes the question feel less human-like and more like an idea. Something that isn't REALLY there. There are so many anon questions, it doesn't feel like you're answering a person, but rather an illusion of one.

**Ironically I am the complete opposite when I answer questions. I want people to know there is a person behind TheJ3NNA that thinks "such and such". I like my answers to feel like they're coming from a sincere user , not some random "tip line".

Anonymous · Answer

I imagine a lot of them do it so the men of GAG won't bother them. Not saying ALL men on GAG do that, but you get my drift.

Also, after answering however many questions over the course of several years, people REALLY get to know you and who you are (if you're honest, at least) and some people aren't comfortable with that. For example, I've shared a lot over the years, I was more personal on the site before becoming an admin, and many people have used what they learned about me to insult or attack me and/or my current position. It happens. So a lot of people prefer to stay completely anonymous while they participate.

ShesSoSilly · Answer

The times I've gone anonymous were when I was sharing something rather personal I thought could help the QA, but I didn't necessarily want it publicly shared. The only other reason (which was more a problem when there was chat) was when I'd give an honest/blunt answer to a question, and some men took that as in invitation to privately message or IM me and ask me 101 questions about my personal life or body.

Anonymous · Answer

I'm always afraid that if I answer a question on here for example, someone will follow my screen name back, add me as a friend, and try to keep talking about whatever question I answered. Could be a question from today, could be a question from 3 years ago.

Another thing is that I use the same screen name for other websites and I'm afraid someone will Google my screen name there and find this account here. I know that they're still under a username, but I don't want people from my piercing forum or Yahoo Answers coming here and seeing the stuff I post here. I usually post more personal stuff on GAG compared to other websites.

love2sing4eva · Answer

I think when people answer questions honestly, they don't want to be judged, or have people sending them hate. Also, in the case that it is a sexually oriented or personal question, no one wants their answers to come up on a search. Plus, there's always the possibility that you answer a question and someone you know finds it...

Luv2BRealExotic13 · Answer

Probably fear of being judged, insecure, trolling. Quite a spectrum of things. If it's private and/or personal understandable but some people I find ridiculous going anony for something as simple as asking a favorite color. Oh blue is your favorite color, and you had to go anonymous to ask/answer. Am I missing something? Is there a Craigslist killer stalking them? Lol

Daph81 · Answer

some maybe because they don't want other people to know they have a certain problem, otherwise to get away with giving such stupid answers without having it linked to your profile. Most likely to get the xper points without having to think of a decent answer or type too much. Example: anon girl below with the one-word answer.

gostar · Answer

I usually don't try to be anon, but when I answer things I know people will dislike, out of fear I turn anon. I guess in a sense it applies to real life. We say things to people that wouldn't sound offensive, but that doesn't mean we don't think offensive thoughts

Artistgirl18 · Answer

For me it's just about the chance that certain people might find this website and see my questions and I don't like having that as an option. Even if it is a small chance, even if it's nothing sexual.

ArabianPwincess197 · Answer

They don't want people knowing their answers or opinions. Mostly it's a convenient way of b******** people out and getting away with it till the mods catch up lol

Shpongolia · Answer

I'd say the frequency of anonymous posts from females to males are pretty much the same on this site. That's what I've noticed anyway.

justbanANNAz · Answer

fantastic question lol… no idea…  maybe its insecurity. remember that men do go anon also but indeed i have noticed it with plenty of women. i guess we're just more cautious

Deft_maiden · Answer

There is a power behind Anonymity. We don't want to be profiled  a certain way. Most anon answers are from well known females. We just like to keep a distance

NoMoreDreams · Answer

I have only done it once to answer something.  I did it because I felt a bit embarrassed of my answer.

isthisthingon · Answer

Because those women are transformers trannies in disguise! transformers more than meets the eye! Im just kidding Ok maybe I am not

sammy_31 · Answer

Hum I have wondered about that too. Maybe they are scared to show that they are asking/answering that question.

Lafemmedeschats · Answer

I don't because I only say things I wouldn't be ashamed saying if someone knew it was me.

neveryoumind · Answer

maybe they want to keep things private and not have the username attached to it.

Hamburgers · Answer

I agree, but sometimes guys do it too. Guys who've went anon got BA from me at times, and nothing was controversial about the comment.

Why do most women go Anon?

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