Comment Etiquette. What are improper comments?

Dear fellow readers:

I have a question regarding Comment Etiquette. I try and leave comments as often as I can. Most of my comments have been positive. Some have raised questions as to the interaction of the characters. Others have been part of discussions raised by others.

If I have to point out a spelling, grammer or continuity problem I PM the author. On occassion I have PMed an author and asked why they had included or written something that bothered me.

I do not remember ever leaving a truly negative comment, at least from my prospective. I do not remember sending a truly negative PM. Twice an author took exception to what I said in a comment In one case I could understand their consternation, in the other I think they mistook my me for someone else.

However, Today I read a story, that bothered me greatly. I wanted to write a comment, but if I did so, I would have been very negative, and castigated the author for writing what I perceive to be a very very negative attack on boys and men. I did not leave a comment because I perceive that that would be Improper conduct on my part.

If the story had been one of forced feminization I could understand it. If it was a "Bad" Boy to Good Girl, I could understand it. If the boy always wanted to be a girl then that is a common theme. If it showed the person instigating the change in a critical light I could understand it.

But this story was not like that. I will not give more detail because it would identify the story.

So the basic question is: Is it proper to write a critical or perhaps hostile comment? What are the limitations if any on such comments?

Saying that I should send a PM, does not address the problem, becuase confronting the author by telling her what I think, does not addrees the feeling that I should raise the negative feelings in a more public forum.

RAMI