Re: [Gendergap] Newsflash: sexism in geek communities demeans everybody - by Tom Morris

[Tom Morris]

On Friday, 23 March 2012 at 18:39, Sarah Stierch wrote:
> Hi everyone. I wanted to share a blog that came across my radar today. I've 
> always been one to channel my rage into action, more than comfortably 
> verbally expressing myself through blogs. So, it's always nice when I read a 
> blog that basically verbalizes my own personal frustrations and rage, and 
> well, I didn't have to write it. :)
> 
Thanks, Sarah. "Rage" might be a bit too strong a description. More "gasping 
open-mouthed at unashamed idiocy". ;-)

Just as background for the post: I've been involved with planning BarCamp 
London. Things like BarCamp and hack day events tend to be run by clueful 
people who see exactly why things like 'booth babes' are a bad idea.

It is precisely when those type of events exhibit cluelessness that it is a 
problem. I expect the big sales events to have booth babes, but that's because 
the audience is different. They are selling primarily to male businessmen, 
whereas BarCamps and hack days are designed for an audience of the actual 
technical people who do the work, specifically the subset of those who are 
dedicated or weird or passionate enough to spend their weekends talking about 
their geeky obsessions.

-- 
Tom Morris




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Re: [Gendergap] Newsflash: sexism in geek communities demeans everybody - by Tom Morris

[Gillian White]

Thanks Tom for articulating how maddening it is to discover that an event
from which you had hoped to learn and in which you hoped to engage turns
out to be ruined by this sort of unthinking. Thanks to Sarah for bringing
Tom's words to our attention.

By way of cheerful contrast, I share an experience wholly uplifting.

While waiting in the queue the other day for a session of the French Film
Festival to start, I had a wonderful conversation with a woman who, in
response to my tentative confession that the volunteer work I did was for
Wikipedia, exclaimed with huge smile on her face: "Wikipedia! I LOVE
Wikipedia!" "Oh?" I said. "Yes, I use it every day and it has never let me
down." She told me she donates every year "with joy" because it "repays a
thousandfold". When she buys lottery tickets she mentally pledges money ("a
lot", she emphasised) to the project if she wins.

She would like to be an editor when she retires but the world apparently
will not let her retire yet; it keeps calling her back to work (her field
is Arts Management, I think). She is 74 and fully employed. I was the first
Wikipedian she had ever met and she made me feel as if I was solely
responsible for some sort of miraculous gift.

I asked if she would like to have her image on the on the fund raiser but
no, here is a real "user" of Wikipedia who wants to be anonymous.
"Anonymous, anonymous", she insisted. "You know my thoughts on the matter,
just think of me as your friend in the queue". And I do.

Whiteghost.ink

On 24 March 2012 08:40, Asaf Bartov  wrote:

> On Fri, Mar 23, 2012 at 11:39 AM, Sarah Stierch 
> wrote:
>
>>  Hi everyone. I wanted to share a blog that came across my radar today.
>> I've always been one to channel my rage into action, more than comfortably
>> verbally expressing myself through blogs. So, it's always nice when I read
>> a blog that basically verbalizes my own personal frustrations and rage, and
>> well, I didn't have to write it. :)
>>
>> Fellow Wikipedian, Tom Morris, wrote a wonderful blog that channeled his
>> own frustrations and bluntly takes a look at sexism within the geek
>> landscape and the concepts of booth babes, verbalized sexism and more, and
>> all with a queer spin, something rarely expressed by men (queer women
>> generally have no problem expressing these frustrations!).
>>
>>
>> http://blog.tommorris.org/post/19778985050/newsflash-sexism-in-geek-communities-demeans-everybody
>>
>
> Nicely said, Tom!
>
>   A.
> --
> Asaf Bartov 
>
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Re: [Gendergap] Newsflash: sexism in geek communities demeans everybody - by Tom Morris

[Asaf Bartov]

On Fri, Mar 23, 2012 at 11:39 AM, Sarah Stierch wrote:

>  Hi everyone. I wanted to share a blog that came across my radar today.
> I've always been one to channel my rage into action, more than comfortably
> verbally expressing myself through blogs. So, it's always nice when I read
> a blog that basically verbalizes my own personal frustrations and rage, and
> well, I didn't have to write it. :)
>
> Fellow Wikipedian, Tom Morris, wrote a wonderful blog that channeled his
> own frustrations and bluntly takes a look at sexism within the geek
> landscape and the concepts of booth babes, verbalized sexism and more, and
> all with a queer spin, something rarely expressed by men (queer women
> generally have no problem expressing these frustrations!).
>
>
> http://blog.tommorris.org/post/19778985050/newsflash-sexism-in-geek-communities-demeans-everybody
>

Nicely said, Tom!

  A.
-- 
Asaf Bartov 
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[Gendergap] Newsflash: sexism in geek communities demeans everybody - by Tom Morris

[Sarah Stierch]

Hi everyone. I wanted to share a blog that came across my radar today. 
I've always been one to channel my rage into action, more than 
comfortably verbally expressing myself through blogs. So, it's always 
nice when I read a blog that basically verbalizes my own personal 
frustrations and rage, and well, I didn't have to write it. :)


Fellow Wikipedian, Tom Morris, wrote a wonderful blog that channeled his 
own frustrations and bluntly takes a look at sexism within the geek 
landscape and the concepts of booth babes, verbalized sexism and more, 
and all with a queer spin, something rarely expressed by men (queer 
women generally have no problem expressing these frustrations!).


http://blog.tommorris.org/post/19778985050/newsflash-sexism-in-geek-communities-demeans-everybody

Thanks Tom for sharing your voice, you expressed a rage that many of us 
(well, at least me!) feel but have a hard time expressing.

(And perhaps some of you might disagree with Tom, too!)

I'm really hoping that at Wikimania we can provide the healthy and 
professional, yet fun and collaborative environment that is without 
worry. I have heard from women who have little desire to attend 
Wikimania due to past experiences. Let's try to make this years 
Wikimania, and other meetups, gatherings and events around the world 
friendly for all.


Sarah

--
*Sarah Stierch*
*/Wikimedia Foundation Community Fellow/*
>>Support the sharing of free knowledge around the world: donate today 
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