Difference between revisions of "Forums"

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There are a total 6 forum categories ''(Welcome, Asexuality, Visibility & Education, Community, Discussion and Site)'', within these categories are 28 forums that are accessible by members of [[AVEN|AVEN]], 3 of these are inaccessible without a registered account, 1 is occasionally hidden to the public when necessary, 1 cannot be accessed unless requested. Alongside these, we have 9 subforums ''(discounting external links)''. There are a significant number of private, hidden and removed forums that are not included in that count.
+
The forums are the most active part of AVEN. Created on the 29th of May 2002 ''(see [[AVEN|AVEN History]])'', the majority of AVEN's [[Forum Management|management]] procedures and [[AVEN Project Team|visibility projects]] are organized within the forums. As is standard with most forums, a calendar and chatroom are available to the members. The forums are run by the administrators and moderators, who enforce and occasionally amend the [http://www.asexuality.org/en/index.php?showtopic=19982 terms of service] when necessary. The moderators, as well as the [[AVEN Project Team|Project Team]], and [[AVEN Declassification Team | Declassification Team]] are elected by the members of AVEN. In turn, the administrators are elected by these moderators, Project Team members, and Declassification Team members. Moderators are usually assigned to a single forum ''(whichever forum/s they're elected to moderate)'', in some cases multiple forums, but possess limited universal powers across the boards ''(see [http://www.asexuality.org/en/index.php?showtopic=74462 Mod and Admin Roles])''.
  
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There are a total seven forum sections ''([[Welcome (forum section)|Welcome]], [[Asexuality (forum section)|Asexuality]], [[Visibility and Education (forum section)|Visibility & Education]], [[Identities (forum section)|Identities]], [[Community (forum section)|Community]], [[Discussion (forum section)|Discussion]], and [[Site (forum section)|Site]])''. Within these sections, there are twenty-eight forums that are accessible by the members of [[AVEN|AVEN's forums]], three of these are inaccessible without a registered account, one was occasionally hidden from public view when necessary, one cannot be accessed unless access is requested and permitted. Alongside these, there are nine subforums (discounting the external links seen in Alternate Languages and Community Links). There are a considerable number of private, hidden and/or removed forums that are inaccessible to both registered members and guests ''(see Hidden Forums)''.
|-
 
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic;" | Legend
 
|-
 
| ''<font color="#008000">(P)</font>'' || ''Publicly accessible, no account required to view or read''
 
|-
 
| ''<font color="#008080">(AcP)</font>'' || ''Publicly accessible with registered account, no restriction''
 
|-
 
| ''<font color="#ff4500">(PR)</font>'' || ''Publicly accessible, once a post limit is reached (conventionally 25)''
 
|-
 
| '' '''(NP)''' '' || ''Posts will not contribute to post count''
 
|-
 
| ''<font color="#ff1493">(R/O)</font>'' || ''"Read Only"''
 
|-
 
| ''<font color="#696969">(OH)</font>'' || ''Occasionally hidden''
 
|-
 
| ''<font color="#ff0000">(RR)</font>'' || ''Access (usually) granted upon request''
 
|-
 
| ''<font color="#800000">(X)</font>'' || ''Entirely hidden or removed''
 
|}
 
  
=Current Forums=
+
AVEN's forums experienced major cosmetic changes throughout February 2008. The forum's sections were [http://www.asexuality.org/en/index.php?showtopic=29464 reorganized] (prior to this, only two sections had existed since the forums' establishment in 2002; ''' ''Community'' ''' and ''' ''AVEN'' '''), and continued to use this model up until [http://www.asexuality.org/en/index.php?showtopic=76660 July 2012]. The forums had used phpBB's software since January 2003 ([http://www.asexuality.org/en/index.php?showtopic=307 briefly running] XMB's forum software in 2002), but this software was replaced by Invision's software [http://www.asexuality.org/en/index.php?showtopic=29673 soon after the reorganization], which AVEN continues to use. The forums saw a software update and redesign in [http://www.asexuality.org/en/index.php?showtopic=79984 October 2012], and the latest software update and redesign in [http://www.asexuality.org/en/topic/147887-welcome-to-the-upgraded-aven/ November 2016].  
There are a considerable number of hidden forums, which are only accessible by the [[Forum Management|Admod team]]. For privacy purposes, these are currently not indexed on this list.
 
  
===''Welcome''===
+
Following a review of the forums' setup in [http://www.asexuality.org/en/index.php?showtopic=92771 September 2013], a seventh forum section was created ''([[Identities (forum section)|Identities]])'', and numerous forums were moved and renamed.  
* '''[[Mod Elections|Mod Elections]]''' <sup>''<font color="#ff4500">(PR)</font>'' ''<font color="#696969">(OH)</font>''</sup> - This forum is occasionally hidden, though this practice has become somewhat irregular lately. The [[Forum Management|forum's management]] are occasionally elected by the members of AVEN when necessary, these elections are held within the Mod Elections forum. Members cannot start thread here, this forums becomes ''Read Only'' when not in use.
 
  
* '''[[Site Info Center|Site Info Center]]''' <sup>''<font color="#ff1493">(R/O)</font>''</sup> - This forum serves as an information resource. Information relevant to AVEN as a whole is stored within this forum.
 
  
* '''[[Announcements|Announcements]]''' <sup>''<font color="#008000">(P)</font>''</sup> - For general announcements, relevant to the forums and wider community.
+
=Current Forums=
 
+
There's a considerable amount of hidden forums which are only accessible by the [[Forum Management|Admod team]], for privacy purposes these are currently not indexed in this list. The forums have seen a few changes in recent times, seeing the arrival of newer forums such as [http://www.asexuality.org/en/index.php?showtopic=65400 The Gray Area in September 2011], the [http://www.asexuality.org/en/index.php?showtopic=76633 A/Romantics Forum in July 2012] ([http://www.asexuality.org/en/index.php?showtopic=80802 later renamed] to ''Romantic and Aromantic Orientations''), and the [http://www.asexuality.org/en/topic/108088-welcome-to-the-intersectionality-forum/ Intersectionality Forum in 2014]. The sections were [http://www.asexuality.org/en/index.php?showtopic=85397 recently reorganized] (moving the [[Community (forum section)|Community]] section below the [[Visibility and Education (forum section)|Visibility and Education]] section)
* '''[[Welcome Lounge|Welcome Lounge]]''' <sup>''<font color="#008000">(P)</font>''</sup> - Intended for newly registered users, members are welcome to introduce themselves to the community in this forum.
 
 
 
===''Asexuality''===
 
* '''[[Asexual Q&A|Asexual Q&A]]''' <sup>''<font color="#008000">(P)</font>''</sup> - Questions relating to asexuality in general are usually asked here, one of the many common favorite being "Am I asexual?".
 
 
 
* '''[[Asexual Relationships|Asexual Relationships]]''' <sup>''<font color="#008000">(P)</font>''</sup> - Relationships are a common occurrence within the asexual community, here we have a forum dedicated to discussing these and related subject.
 
 
 
* '''[[Asexual Musings and Rantings|Asexual Musings and Rantings]]''' <sup>''<font color="#008000">(P)</font>''</sup> - General discussion relating to asexuality.
 
 
 
* '''[[Older Asexuals|Older Asexuals]]''' <sup>''<font color="#008000">(P)</font>''</sup> - Generally intended for 30+ asexuals.  
 
 
 
* '''[[The Gray Area|The Gray Area]]''' <sup>''<font color="#008000">(P)</font>''</sup> - [[Gray-A|Gray asexuals]] comprise a significant population within the asexual community, this forum is intended for Gray-A related discussion.
 
 
 
* '''[[For Sexual Partners, Friends and Allies|For Sexual Partners, Friends and Allies]]''' <sup>''<font color="#008000">(P)</font>''</sup> - AVEN isn't restricted to asexuals, anyone and everyone is welcome. We refer to these as "allies".  
 
 
 
===''Visibility and Education''===
 
* '''[[Visibility and Education Projects|Visibility and Education Projects]]''' <sup>''<font color="#008000">(P)</font>''</sup> - This forum is used for asexuality-related projects, by both the [[Project Team|Project Team]] and the general members.
 
**  '''[[WorldPride (forum)|WorldPride 2012]]''' <sup>''<font color="#ff1493">(R/O)</font>''</sup> - This forum was used to organize AVEN's events at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London London's] 2012 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WorldPride#WorldPride_London_2012 WorldPride event].
 
  
* '''[[World Watch|World Watch]]''' <sup>''<font color="#008000">(P)</font>''</sup> - Asexuality makes a occasional appearance in the media, we usually discuss these various appearances in our World Watch forum.
+
The Gray Area was renamed as "The Gray Area, Sex and Relation Discussions" during the September 2013 reorganization. Other forums, such as Mod Elections and Mod Forum, were renamed to "AVEN Elections" and "Admods Archives" respectively.
** '''[[World Watch|World Watch Archive]]''' <sup>''<font color="#ff1493">(R/O)</font>''</sup> - World Watch is pretty darn old, there are many relevant and important threads within this forum. This archive attempts to categorize these by year.
 
  
* '''[[Census Forum|Census Forum]]''' <sup>''<font color="#008000">(P)</font>''</sup> - Censuses are a vital factor in visibility, they give us our stats. The census forum is open to any member, it's not restricted to official censuses, though polls intended for humor should be placed in [[Just for Fun|JFF]].
 
** '''[[Census Forum|Census Archive]]''' <sup>''<font color="#ff1493">(R/O)</font>''</sup> - This essentially serves the exact same purpose as the World Watch Archive, seen above.
 
  
===''Community''===
+
===''[[Welcome (forum section)|Welcome]]''===
* '''[[Meetup Mart|Meetup Mart]]''' <sup>''<font color="#008080">(AcP)</font>''</sup> - Meetups are yet another vital factor in our community, the Meetup Mart provides a space for organizing such meetups, everything from small-scale informals to large affairs. It should be noted that this forum is NOT intended for dating personals ''(see [[Personals Forum|Personals Forum]])''. AVEN serves the international community, particularly the Anglosphere, thus we have the following subforums:
+
* '''AVEN Elections''' - Formerly known as "Mod Elections, this forum is moved and placed elsewhere when necessary. The [[Forum Management|forum's management]] are elected by the members of AVEN when necessary, these elections are held within the Mod Elections forum. Members cannot start threads in this forum, which becomes a ''Read Only'' forum when not in use.
** '''[[Meetup Mart|Australia and New Zealand]]''' <sup>''<font color="#008080">(AcP)</font>''</sup>
+
* '''Site Info Center''' - This forum serves as an information resource. Information relevant to AVEN as a whole is stored within this forum. This forum is read only, and can be edited by the administrators, moderators and Project Team.
** '''[[Meetup Mart|Canada]]''' <sup>''<font color="#008080">(AcP)</font>''</sup>
+
* '''Announcements''' - For general announcements, relevant to the forums and wider community. Previous forum software version had utilized a universal announcement function, which would've posted a banner announcement across the forums.
** '''[[Meetup Mart|United Kingdom and Ireland]]''' <sup>''<font color="#008080">(AcP)</font>''</sup>
+
**Research Requests and Studies - A dedicated forum for approved research requests.
** '''[[Meetup Mart|United States]]''' <sup>''<font color="#008080">(AcP)</font>''</sup>
+
**AVEN Digest Archive - A dedicated archive of the weekly AVEN Digest updates.
 +
* '''Welcome Lounge''' - Intended for newly registered users, members are welcome to introduce themselves to the community in this forum.
  
* '''[[Just for Fun|Just for Fun]]''' <sup>''<font color="#008000">(P)</font>''</sup> - AVEN ain't all-serious, we have our very own forum dedicated to crazy games and quirky humor.  
+
===''[[Asexuality (forum section)|Asexuality]]''===
** '''[[Just for Fun|AVEN Arcade]]''' <sup>'' '''(NP)''' ''</sup> - Spam, spam, spam! Intended for those one-word response kind of threads.  
+
* '''Questions about Asexuality''' (formerly '''Asexual Q&A''') - Questions relating to asexuality in general are usually asked here, one of the many common favorites: "Am I asexual?".
 +
* '''Asexual Relationships''' - Relationships are a common occurrence within the asexual community, here we have a forum dedicated to discussing these and related subject.
 +
* '''Asexual Musings and Rantings''' - General discussion relating to asexuality.
 +
* '''Older Asexuals''' - Generally intended for 30+ asexuals.
 +
* '''For Sexual Partners, Friends and Allies''' - Allies are welcome in the community, AVEN is welcomes everyone who wishes to join.
  
* '''[[Celebration Time!|Celebration Time!]]''' <sup>''<font color="#008000">(P)</font>''</sup> - Got something to celebrate? Fortunately, we have a forum for that too.  
+
===''[[Visibility and Education (forum section)|Visibility and Education]]''===
 +
* '''Visibility and Education Projects'''  - This forum is used for asexuality-related projects, by both the [[Project Team|Project Team]] and the general members.
 +
**  ''[[WorldPride 2012]]'' - This forum was used to organize AVEN's events at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London London's] 2012 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WorldPride#WorldPride_London_2012 WorldPride event].
 +
**  ''[[WorldPride 2014]]'' - This forum was used to organize AVEN's events at Toronto's 2014 WorldPride event.
 +
** ''[[WorldPride 2017]]'' - This forum was used to organize AVEN's events at Madrid's 2017 WorldPride event.
  
* '''[[Tea and Sympathy|Tea and Sympathy]]''' <sup>''<font color="#008080">(AcP)</font>''</sup> - Down periods are not uncommon, this forum exists to discuss or vent out our general frustrations.
+
* '''World Watch'''  - Asexuality makes an occasional appearance in the media, we usually discuss these various and spontaneous appearances in our World Watch forum.
 +
** ''World Watch Archive'' - World Watch is pretty darn old, there are many relevant and important threads within this forum. This archive categorizes these by year.
 +
* '''Census Forum''' - Censuses are a vital factor in visibility, they give us our stats. Humor polls are usually placed in [[Just for Fun|JFF]].
 +
** ''Census Archive'' - This essentially serves the exact same purpose as the World Watch Archive, seen above.
 +
* '''Community Links Forum''' - AVEN may remain as the active center of the asexual community, but there are many similar spin-off forums too:
 +
** ''[[Apositive|Apositive]]''
 +
** ''[[AroPlane|AroPlane]]''
 +
** ''[[Asexual Awareness Week|Asexual Awareness Week]]''
 +
** ''[[Asexual Explorations|Asexual Explorations]]''
 +
** ''[[Asexuality Archive|Asexuality Archive]]''
 +
** ''[[Asexuality on Livejournal|Asexuality on Livejournal]]''
 +
** ''[[Asexuals Project]]''
 +
** ''[[Demi Grace|Demi Grace]]''
 +
** ''[[Demisexuality Resource Center]]''
 +
** ''[[Freedom Requires Wings|Freedom Requires Wings]]''
 +
** ''[[The Asexual Story Project]]''
 +
** ''[[Trans Yada|Trans Yada]]''
  
* '''[[Open Mic|Open Mic]]''' <sup>''<font color="#008000">(P)</font>''</sup> - For sharing your creative side.  
+
===''[[Identities (forum section)|Identities]]''===
 +
* '''The Gray Area, Sex and Related Discussions''' - Formerly known as "The Gray Area", renamed to encompass sexual discussions.
 +
** ''The Sex Talk'' - A forum for threads about kink or are more in-depth sexual discussions.
 +
* '''Intersectionality''' - For people to discuss how their (a)sexuality and other identities intertwine.
 +
* '''Romantic and Other Orientations'''- Many asexuals experience [[Romantic orientation|romantic attraction]], this forum exists to discuss this and related subjects.
 +
* '''Gender Discussion''' - Gender identity is a common subject within the community, so of course we have a forum for discussing this too.
  
* '''[[Community Links Forum|Community Links Forum]]''' <sup>''<font color="#ff1493">(R/O)</font>''</sup> - AVEN may remain as the epicenter of the asexual community, but there are many similar spin-off forums too.  
+
===''[[Community (forum section)|Community]]''===
''(Correct as of April 2013)''
+
* '''Meetup Mart''' - Meetups are yet another vital factor in our community, the Meetup Mart provides a space for organizing such meetups, everything from small-scale informals to large affairs. It should be noted that this forum is NOT intended for dating personals ''(see [[Personals Forum|Personals Forum]])''. AVEN's forums usually serve the Anglosphere, hence these subforums:
** '''[[Apositive|Apositive]]'''
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** ''Australia and New Zealand''  
** '''[[AroPlane|AroPlane]]'''
+
** ''Canada''
** '''[[Asexual Awareness Week|Asexual Awareness Week]]'''
+
** ''United Kingdom and Ireland''  
** '''[[Asexual Explorations|Asexual Explorations]]'''
+
** ''United States''  
** '''[[Asexuality Archive|Asexuality Archive]]'''
 
** '''[[Asexuality on Livejournal|Asexuality on Livejournal]]'''
 
** '''[[Break the Binary|Break the Binary]]'''
 
** '''[[Demi Grace|Demi Grace]]'''
 
** '''[[Freedom Requires Wings|Freedom Requires Wings]]'''
 
** '''[[Trans Yada|Trans Yada]]'''
 
  
* '''[[Alternate Languages Forum|Alternate Languages Forum]]''' <sup>''<font color="#008000">(P)</font>''</sup> - Asexuality isn't restricted to the Anglosphere, it exists throughout many different cultures in many different languages. Here, we have a forum for discussing asexuality in your native tongue.
+
* '''Just for Fun''' - AVEN ain't all-serious, we have our very own forum dedicated to crazy games and quirky humor.
 +
** ''AVEN Arcade'' - Spam, spam, spam! Intended for those spammy  threads.
 +
* '''Celebration Time!''' - Got something to celebrate? Fortunately, we have a forum for that too.
 +
* '''Tea and Sympathy''' - Down periods are not uncommon, this forum exists to discuss or vent out our general frustrations.
 +
* '''Open Mic''' - For sharing your creative side.
 +
* '''Alternate Languages Forum''' - Asexuality exists in many different languages and cultures. Here, we have a forum for discussing asexuality in your native tongue, as well as these dedicated discussion boards:
 
** '''Deutsch''' ''(German)''
 
** '''Deutsch''' ''(German)''
 
** '''Polski''' ''(Polish)''
 
** '''Polski''' ''(Polish)''
Line 103: Line 89:
 
** '''Svenska''' ''(Swedish)''
 
** '''Svenska''' ''(Swedish)''
 
** '''Norsk''' ''(Norwegian)''
 
** '''Norsk''' ''(Norwegian)''
 +
** '''India'''
 +
** '''Dansk/norsk/svenska (skandinavisk)'''
  
* '''[[(h)AVEN|(h)AVEN]]''' <sup>''<font color="#ff0000">(RR)</font>''</sup> - [[Tea and Sympathy|Tea and Sympathy]] exists for the milder issues in life, we all have those issues that we feel we can't share publicly, for that we have (h)AVEN. Naturally, to retain this privacy, access is not granted automatic, it must be requested.
+
* '''(h)AVEN''' - [[Tea and Sympathy|Tea and Sympathy]] exists for the milder issues in life, but we've all got those issues that we feel we can't share publicly, and that's why (h)AVEN exists. [http://www.asexuality.org/en/index.php?showtopic=78580 Access needs to be requested], an administrator will grant this access for you.
 
 
===''Community''===
 
* '''[[Off-A|Off-A]]''' <sup>''<font color="#008000">(P)</font>''</sup> - AVEN is largely asexual-centric, but Off-A gives us space to discuss everything else.
 
 
 
* '''[[Romantic and Other Orientations|Romantic and Other Orientations]]''' <sup>''<font color="#008000">(P)</font>''</sup> - Many asexuals experience [[Romantic orientation|romantic orientation]], this forum exists to discuss all the related subjects.
 
 
 
* '''[[Gender Discussion|Gender Discussion]]''' <sup>''<font color="#008000">(P)</font>''</sup> - Gender identity is a common subject within the community, so of course we have a forum for discussing this too.
 
 
 
* '''[[Philosophy, Politics and Science|Philosophy, Politics and Science]]''' <sup>''<font color="#008000">(P)</font>''</sup> - Feeling philosophical or political? Or taking an interest in science? Discuss it here. We usually use this forum to discuss some of the more specific recent news events. These can often end up warped by controversy...
 
  
* '''[[Hot Box|Hot Box]]''' <sup>''<font color="#008080">(AcP)</font>''</sup> - ... the Hot Box lives up to its name, here's where we keep the more heated, controversial debates.  
+
===''[[Discussion (forum section)|Discussion]]''===
 +
* '''Off-A''' - AVEN is largely asexual-centric, but Off-A gives us space to discuss everything else.
 +
* '''Philosophy, Politics and Science''' - Feeling philosophical or political? Or taking an interest in science? Discuss it here, we usually use this forum to discuss some of the more specific recent news events. These can often end up warped by controversy...
 +
* '''Hot Box''' - ... the Hot Box lives up to its name. Here's where we keep the more heated, controversial debates.  
  
===''Site''===
+
===''[[Site (forum section)|Site]]''===
* '''[[Site Comments|Site Comments]]''' <sup>''<font color="#008000">(P)</font>''</sup> - Issues with the software often crop up, we usually discuss these here.  
+
* '''Site Comments''' - Issues with the software often crop up, we usually discuss these here.  
** '''[[Site Comments|Bug Tracker]]''' <sup>''<font color="#008000">(P)</font>''</sup> - For filing reports, when a bug is found.
+
** '''Bug Tracker'''- For filing reports, usually when a software bug is found.
 +
** '''Admod Archives''' - Formerly known as the "Mod Forum". A forum for declassified policy threads and disciplinary threads. This forum is Read Only.
  
 
=Hidden Forums=
 
=Hidden Forums=
Various hidden forums exists, for a variety of reasons. While these are not "officially listed", they are [http://www.asexuality.org/en/index.php?showtopic=29464 often] briefly [http://www.asexuality.org/en/index.php?showtopic=67680 mentioned].
+
While these are not "officially listed", they are [http://www.asexuality.org/en/index.php?showtopic=29464 often] briefly [http://www.asexuality.org/en/index.php?showtopic=67680 mentioned], but the existence of these forums is rarely discussed. The following forums are only accessible by the admods, as opposed to (h)AVEN where access can be requested and granted. The [[Welcome (forum section)|Mod Elections]] forum was occasionally hidden from view, but is accessible to anyone with 25+ posts during AVEN's elections and placed below the Site Comments forum when not in use.
  
* '''[[Not Quite Ready For Primetime]]''' <sup>''<font color="#800000">(X)</font>''</sup>
+
* '''Not Quite Ready For Primetime'''
* '''[[AVEN Book|AVEN Book]]''' <sup>''<font color="#800000">(X)</font>''</sup>
+
* '''AVEN Book''' - Hidden due to copyright concerns.
* '''[[Trashcan]]''' <sup>''<font color="#800000">(X)</font>''</sup>
+
* '''Admods Forum'''
 +
* '''Trashcan'''  
  
 
=Former forums=
 
=Former forums=
Forums there were either... <font color="#006400">'''[M]: Merged'''</font>, <font color="#FF0000">'''[R]: Removed'''</font> or <font color="#FF1493">'''[H]: Hidden'''</font>.
+
Forums there were either merged or deleted, renamed forums are not included here.
  
* '''[[Alternate Languages|Amibes Français]]''' <sup><font color="#006400">'''[M]'''</font></sup>, '''[[Alternate Languages|Asexuality Español]]''' <sup><font color="#006400">'''[M]'''</font></sup>, '''[[Alternate Languages|Asexuales Deutschland]]''' <sup><font color="#006400">'''[M]'''</font></sup>, '''[[Alternate Languages|Discussione Asessuale Italiana]]''' <sup><font color="#006400">'''[M]'''</font></sup> and '''[[Alternate Languages|Amoebas Portugese-falador]]''' <sup><font color="#006400">'''[M]'''</font></sup> - All were merged to form [[Alternate Languages]], circa August 2003.
+
* '''Amibes Français''', '''Asexuality Español''', '''Asexuales Deutschland''', '''Discussione Asessuale Italiana''' and '''Amoebas Portugese-falador''' existed for a brief period in 2003, all five were merged to form [[Community (forum section)|Alternate Languages]].
  
* '''[[All T-Shirts, All the Time]]''' <sup><font color="#FF0000">'''[R]?'''</font></sup> - Likely removed, existed between August 2003 and February 2004.
+
* '''All T-Shirts, All the Time''' - Likely removed? Existed between August 2003 and February 2004.
  
* '''[[World Watch|The Library]]''' <sup><font color="#006400">'''[M]'''</font></sup> - Merged with World Watch, October 2009. This forum focused on discussed asexual literature.  
+
* '''The Library''' - Merged with [[Visibility and Education (forum section)|World Watch]] in October 2009. This forum focused on asexual literature.  
  
* '''[[Personals|Personals]]''' <sup><font color="#006400">'''[M]'''</font></sup> - Incredibly controversial forum, closed down due to legal fears and merged with the [[Meetup Mart]] shortly after its creation, circa October 2005.
+
* '''Personals Forum''' - Closed down due to legal fears and merged with the [[Meetup Mart]] shortly after its creation in October 2005.
  
* '''[[AVEN Book|AVEN Book]]''' <sup><font color="#FF1493">'''[H]'''</font></sup> - A former admin's writing project, locked down in 2008 and later hidden in 2009 due to copyright issues.  
+
* '''AVEN Book'''- A former admin's writing project, locked down in 2008 and later hidden in 2009 due to copyright concerns.  
  
 
=See Also=
 
=See Also=
 
*[[Forum Management]]
 
*[[Forum Management]]
  
 +
{{Forums}}
 
[[Category:Community]]
 
[[Category:Community]]
 
[[Category:Forums]]
 
[[Category:Forums]]

Latest revision as of 17:19, 10 November 2019

The forums are the most active part of AVEN. Created on the 29th of May 2002 (see AVEN History), the majority of AVEN's management procedures and visibility projects are organized within the forums. As is standard with most forums, a calendar and chatroom are available to the members. The forums are run by the administrators and moderators, who enforce and occasionally amend the terms of service when necessary. The moderators, as well as the Project Team, and Declassification Team are elected by the members of AVEN. In turn, the administrators are elected by these moderators, Project Team members, and Declassification Team members. Moderators are usually assigned to a single forum (whichever forum/s they're elected to moderate), in some cases multiple forums, but possess limited universal powers across the boards (see Mod and Admin Roles).

There are a total seven forum sections (Welcome, Asexuality, Visibility & Education, Identities, Community, Discussion, and Site). Within these sections, there are twenty-eight forums that are accessible by the members of AVEN's forums, three of these are inaccessible without a registered account, one was occasionally hidden from public view when necessary, one cannot be accessed unless access is requested and permitted. Alongside these, there are nine subforums (discounting the external links seen in Alternate Languages and Community Links). There are a considerable number of private, hidden and/or removed forums that are inaccessible to both registered members and guests (see Hidden Forums).

AVEN's forums experienced major cosmetic changes throughout February 2008. The forum's sections were reorganized (prior to this, only two sections had existed since the forums' establishment in 2002; Community and AVEN ), and continued to use this model up until July 2012. The forums had used phpBB's software since January 2003 (briefly running XMB's forum software in 2002), but this software was replaced by Invision's software soon after the reorganization, which AVEN continues to use. The forums saw a software update and redesign in October 2012, and the latest software update and redesign in November 2016.

Following a review of the forums' setup in September 2013, a seventh forum section was created (Identities), and numerous forums were moved and renamed.


Current Forums

There's a considerable amount of hidden forums which are only accessible by the Admod team, for privacy purposes these are currently not indexed in this list. The forums have seen a few changes in recent times, seeing the arrival of newer forums such as The Gray Area in September 2011, the A/Romantics Forum in July 2012 (later renamed to Romantic and Aromantic Orientations), and the Intersectionality Forum in 2014. The sections were recently reorganized (moving the Community section below the Visibility and Education section)

The Gray Area was renamed as "The Gray Area, Sex and Relation Discussions" during the September 2013 reorganization. Other forums, such as Mod Elections and Mod Forum, were renamed to "AVEN Elections" and "Admods Archives" respectively.


Welcome

  • AVEN Elections - Formerly known as "Mod Elections, this forum is moved and placed elsewhere when necessary. The forum's management are elected by the members of AVEN when necessary, these elections are held within the Mod Elections forum. Members cannot start threads in this forum, which becomes a Read Only forum when not in use.
  • Site Info Center - This forum serves as an information resource. Information relevant to AVEN as a whole is stored within this forum. This forum is read only, and can be edited by the administrators, moderators and Project Team.
  • Announcements - For general announcements, relevant to the forums and wider community. Previous forum software version had utilized a universal announcement function, which would've posted a banner announcement across the forums.
    • Research Requests and Studies - A dedicated forum for approved research requests.
    • AVEN Digest Archive - A dedicated archive of the weekly AVEN Digest updates.
  • Welcome Lounge - Intended for newly registered users, members are welcome to introduce themselves to the community in this forum.

Asexuality

  • Questions about Asexuality (formerly Asexual Q&A) - Questions relating to asexuality in general are usually asked here, one of the many common favorites: "Am I asexual?".
  • Asexual Relationships - Relationships are a common occurrence within the asexual community, here we have a forum dedicated to discussing these and related subject.
  • Asexual Musings and Rantings - General discussion relating to asexuality.
  • Older Asexuals - Generally intended for 30+ asexuals.
  • For Sexual Partners, Friends and Allies - Allies are welcome in the community, AVEN is welcomes everyone who wishes to join.

Visibility and Education

  • Visibility and Education Projects - This forum is used for asexuality-related projects, by both the Project Team and the general members.

Identities

  • The Gray Area, Sex and Related Discussions - Formerly known as "The Gray Area", renamed to encompass sexual discussions.
    • The Sex Talk - A forum for threads about kink or are more in-depth sexual discussions.
  • Intersectionality - For people to discuss how their (a)sexuality and other identities intertwine.
  • Romantic and Other Orientations- Many asexuals experience romantic attraction, this forum exists to discuss this and related subjects.
  • Gender Discussion - Gender identity is a common subject within the community, so of course we have a forum for discussing this too.

Community

  • Meetup Mart - Meetups are yet another vital factor in our community, the Meetup Mart provides a space for organizing such meetups, everything from small-scale informals to large affairs. It should be noted that this forum is NOT intended for dating personals (see Personals Forum). AVEN's forums usually serve the Anglosphere, hence these subforums:
    • Australia and New Zealand
    • Canada
    • United Kingdom and Ireland
    • United States
  • Just for Fun - AVEN ain't all-serious, we have our very own forum dedicated to crazy games and quirky humor.
    • AVEN Arcade - Spam, spam, spam! Intended for those spammy threads.
  • Celebration Time! - Got something to celebrate? Fortunately, we have a forum for that too.
  • Tea and Sympathy - Down periods are not uncommon, this forum exists to discuss or vent out our general frustrations.
  • Open Mic - For sharing your creative side.
  • Alternate Languages Forum - Asexuality exists in many different languages and cultures. Here, we have a forum for discussing asexuality in your native tongue, as well as these dedicated discussion boards:
    • Deutsch (German)
    • Polski (Polish)
    • Nederlands (Dutch)
    • Español (Spanish)
    • Français (French)
    • Italiano (Italian)
    • Suomi (Finnish)
    • Čeština (Czech)
    • Türkçe (Turkish)
    • русский (Russian)
    • Hebrew
    • 日本語 (Japanese)
    • 中文 (Mandarin, 1)
    • 中文 (Mandarin, 2)
    • Svenska (Swedish)
    • Norsk (Norwegian)
    • India
    • Dansk/norsk/svenska (skandinavisk)
  • (h)AVEN - Tea and Sympathy exists for the milder issues in life, but we've all got those issues that we feel we can't share publicly, and that's why (h)AVEN exists. Access needs to be requested, an administrator will grant this access for you.

Discussion

  • Off-A - AVEN is largely asexual-centric, but Off-A gives us space to discuss everything else.
  • Philosophy, Politics and Science - Feeling philosophical or political? Or taking an interest in science? Discuss it here, we usually use this forum to discuss some of the more specific recent news events. These can often end up warped by controversy...
  • Hot Box - ... the Hot Box lives up to its name. Here's where we keep the more heated, controversial debates.

Site

  • Site Comments - Issues with the software often crop up, we usually discuss these here.
    • Bug Tracker- For filing reports, usually when a software bug is found.
    • Admod Archives - Formerly known as the "Mod Forum". A forum for declassified policy threads and disciplinary threads. This forum is Read Only.

Hidden Forums

While these are not "officially listed", they are often briefly mentioned, but the existence of these forums is rarely discussed. The following forums are only accessible by the admods, as opposed to (h)AVEN where access can be requested and granted. The Mod Elections forum was occasionally hidden from view, but is accessible to anyone with 25+ posts during AVEN's elections and placed below the Site Comments forum when not in use.

  • Not Quite Ready For Primetime
  • AVEN Book - Hidden due to copyright concerns.
  • Admods Forum
  • Trashcan

Former forums

Forums there were either merged or deleted, renamed forums are not included here.

  • Amibes Français, Asexuality Español, Asexuales Deutschland, Discussione Asessuale Italiana and Amoebas Portugese-falador existed for a brief period in 2003, all five were merged to form Alternate Languages.
  • All T-Shirts, All the Time - Likely removed? Existed between August 2003 and February 2004.
  • The Library - Merged with World Watch in October 2009. This forum focused on asexual literature.
  • Personals Forum - Closed down due to legal fears and merged with the Meetup Mart shortly after its creation in October 2005.
  • AVEN Book- A former admin's writing project, locked down in 2008 and later hidden in 2009 due to copyright concerns.

See Also

AVEN's forum sections
Welcome · Asexuality · Visibility and Education · Identities · Community · Discussion · Site
AVEN · Forum management · AVEN Project Team
Category:Forums