It turns out that it really is hard to explain some things. For instance, it is really hard to explain to men who are the face of otherwise compassionate FOSS communities how we feel about comments that they have made.
On the other hand, spiritual leaders and elderly southern ex-US-presidents appear to be much more open to understanding these sorts of things.
Feminism is not, as some believe, negativity. Feminists believe that they can eliminate barriers that prevent women from having the same opportunities that men do.
That is optimism. Optimism is positive.
FOSS feminists believe, for example, that with a little due care from everyone that girls, women, and other minorities can share in jokes in professional technical conference presentations, rather than be the butt of them.
Sadly, right now, this particular barrier is being tagged WONTFIX by our community leaders, but the barriers are there, regardless of whether these leaders wish to believe it or not.
So far one of the greatest tricks sexism has played, is to convince FOSS communities it does not exist within them.
Sadly, right now, this particular barrier is being tagged WONTFIX by our community leaders, but the barriers are there, regardless of whether these leaders wish to believe it or not.
So far one of the greatest tricks sexism has played, is to convince FOSS communities it does not exist within them.
At this point, you’re just trolling.
Good luck fixing this bug. How do I subscribe to it / mark it as “affects me too?”
Maybe it should actually be filed on Launchpad? They opened a section for bugs to be filed against the Ubuntu community: https://launchpad.net/ubuntu-community
I agree with Jared
We should file bugs on Launchpad
https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-women
would be a suitable Launchpad site to file a bug :-)
Best wishes, Helen
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I’m currently working in a company that’s been working with the FLOSS community for a while. At first I was excited about working with a community which claims to support revolutionary thinking, claims to value quality of work over anything else, etc.
Since then I have constantly felt unwelcome because of my gender. When I speak up, I’m told “you just need thicker skin” (or some other excuse) which actually brings me to another reason that I’ve been seriously considering looking for a new job at a fully proprietary software company or just quitting altogether to become a stay-at-home mom for my 16 month old and a second that I’ll be delivering any week now:
The immaturity level of the people in FLOSS and their mocking attitudes, their egos, and tendencies to start flame wars over the most inconsequential things, and their blood thirst for witch hunts has caused me no shortage of stress and frustration. Who wants be hang out in a community where bullying is the norm? Where childish in-fighting is cheered? Where insulting the intelligence of women and then calling them “feminists” (as if it were a dirty word) if they dare to speak out?
It has occurred to me that all of these things are serious warning signs that I’m in some sort of religious cult and I need to get out.
It’s more like you’re surrounded by people who oftentimes didn’t have the benefit of growing up in a society that accepted them. This holds especially true for the female part of that society. Not because they were less accepted among females, but because it usually matters more if you’re not accepted by the sex you’re interested in.
Instead they were left without this opportunity. As a result, some of them are having anger or resentment in them and some others just didn’t learn how to be polite.
So while I certainly don’t say it’s right. – It obviously isn’t – If you really want to change it, you should have a look at the cause. Pointing fingers and crying “you’re bad” may create peer pressure and foster a better environment. But it won’t change anyone.
FOSS feminists believe (…) that girls, women, and other minorities can share in jokes (…), rather than be the butt of them.
Your underlying assumption is that being the butt of a joke prevents a person or a group of being able to share in that joke. I lack the words to succinctly express how horribly wrong that assumption is.
Not at all. However there are certain types of jokes that play on particular vulnerabilities of people in these groups. Being virtually alone (which a 98:2 ratio is) makes it highly likely that these people will feel especially vulnerable that these things are being played on.
People talking about de-flowering virgin women or treating women as potential bed post notches, in spaces where I am one of that 2% — where for each person of my gender there are 98 males, few of whom I actually know and fewer who I know can trust — makes me feel especially vulnerable.
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