This article is within the scope of WikiProject Highways, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of
highways on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join
the discussion and see a list of open tasks.HighwaysWikipedia:WikiProject HighwaysTemplate:WikiProject HighwaysHighways articles
This article is within the scope of WikiProject London, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of
London on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join
the discussion and see a list of open tasks.LondonWikipedia:WikiProject LondonTemplate:WikiProject LondonLondon-related articles
This article is within the scope of WikiProject Sexology and sexuality, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of
human sexuality on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join
the discussion and see a list of open tasks.Sexology and sexualityWikipedia:WikiProject Sexology and sexualityTemplate:WikiProject Sexology and sexualitySexology and sexuality articles
This article is written in
British English, which has its own spelling conventions (colour, travelled, centre, defence, artefact, analyse) and some terms that are used in it may be different or absent from other
varieties of English. According to the
relevant style guide, this should not be changed without
broad consensus.
Q1: Isn't it irresponsible for Wikipedia to have a vulgar article appear as
Today's Featured Article on the Main Page?
A1:
Wikipedia is not censored. Wikipedia strives to be considered a serious reference work. As part of being a serious reference work, we approach all topics with a detached sensibility which does not take an emotional involvement in the visceral response to a topic. People have differing, subjective standards of what is vulgar, but that someone finds a subject vulgar or offensive does not prevent a dispassionate, scholarly article about the subject.
Q2: How did this article even become a featured article?
A2: See
The featured article criteria. Featured articles are judged based on a strict set of standards, which include such things as clarity of writing, quality and depth of sources, and comprehensive treatment of the subject. Articles that are nominated for feature status undergo a long, in-depth vetting process, where the article is scutinized by many editors. See
Wikipedia:Featured article candidates/Gropecunt Lane/archive1 for more on the specific discussion which promoted this article to featured status
Q4: Doesn't this type of article contribute to Wikipedia's reputation of being unreliable and prone to promote salacious or unacademic topics?
A4: On the contrary, if you read the article rather than merely focusing on a word in the name of the article, you may notice that this article is given a rather dispassionate, academic treatment. Rather than getting hung up on such trivialities as what words may offend the sensibilities of any particular reader, Wikipedia strives to take a scholarly approach towards researching and writing about all subjects. It is a source of pride, and not embarrassment, that Wikipedia is able to present such a well researched article on just about any subject, even those which may contain an offensive word in the title.
This article is within the scope of WikiProject Highways, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of
highways on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join
the discussion and see a list of open tasks.HighwaysWikipedia:WikiProject HighwaysTemplate:WikiProject HighwaysHighways articles
This article is within the scope of WikiProject London, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of
London on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join
the discussion and see a list of open tasks.LondonWikipedia:WikiProject LondonTemplate:WikiProject LondonLondon-related articles
This article is within the scope of WikiProject Sexology and sexuality, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of
human sexuality on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join
the discussion and see a list of open tasks.Sexology and sexualityWikipedia:WikiProject Sexology and sexualityTemplate:WikiProject Sexology and sexualitySexology and sexuality articles
This article is written in
British English, which has its own spelling conventions (colour, travelled, centre, defence, artefact, analyse) and some terms that are used in it may be different or absent from other
varieties of English. According to the
relevant style guide, this should not be changed without
broad consensus.
Q1: Isn't it irresponsible for Wikipedia to have a vulgar article appear as
Today's Featured Article on the Main Page?
A1:
Wikipedia is not censored. Wikipedia strives to be considered a serious reference work. As part of being a serious reference work, we approach all topics with a detached sensibility which does not take an emotional involvement in the visceral response to a topic. People have differing, subjective standards of what is vulgar, but that someone finds a subject vulgar or offensive does not prevent a dispassionate, scholarly article about the subject.
Q2: How did this article even become a featured article?
A2: See
The featured article criteria. Featured articles are judged based on a strict set of standards, which include such things as clarity of writing, quality and depth of sources, and comprehensive treatment of the subject. Articles that are nominated for feature status undergo a long, in-depth vetting process, where the article is scutinized by many editors. See
Wikipedia:Featured article candidates/Gropecunt Lane/archive1 for more on the specific discussion which promoted this article to featured status
Q4: Doesn't this type of article contribute to Wikipedia's reputation of being unreliable and prone to promote salacious or unacademic topics?
A4: On the contrary, if you read the article rather than merely focusing on a word in the name of the article, you may notice that this article is given a rather dispassionate, academic treatment. Rather than getting hung up on such trivialities as what words may offend the sensibilities of any particular reader, Wikipedia strives to take a scholarly approach towards researching and writing about all subjects. It is a source of pride, and not embarrassment, that Wikipedia is able to present such a well researched article on just about any subject, even those which may contain an offensive word in the title.
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