[clug] Open Source Software's Dirty Little Secret

[Daniel Pittman]

Jack Kelly <endgame.dos at gmail.com> writes:

[...]

> On Fri, Sep 11, 2009 at 8:47 AM, steve jenkin <sjenkin at canb.auug.org.au> wrote:
>
>> Like Gyms.  Fernwood does very well offering an 'all women' environment,
>> because women aren't put off...  [Please tell me why that doesn't fail the
>> anti-discrimination test, when Men Only Clubs get pilloried]

Simple: because this is discrimination, but specifically discrimination to
redress the situation that women do not, otherwise, have equal access to the
gym because of the hostile environment.

> That puzzles me, too. Turns out that they applied for and got an exemption:
> http://www.vcat.vic.gov.au/CA256902000FE154/Lookup/anti-discrimination_list/$file/fernwood_decision.pdf
> Seems to be something about promoting "equality of opportunity" instead of
> straight "equality".

Exactly.  This discrimination is a *tool* in delivering the larger picture
goal.  Social change can't be delivered on a "flag day", out of nowhere.
It takes time, effort, and an awful lot of hard work.

> The bit about a unisex gym being converted to a Fernwood franchise and
> charging all the former male members fees to transfer their membership is
> particularly interesting.

Well, a business changing hands and policy isn't anything new, and it happens
all the time.  The fee seems a bit dubious ... though, really, given that an
ownership changeover could put people out entirely their fees[1]

> A quick browse on Austlii ( http://austlii.edu.au ) doesn't turn up anything
> about them being taken to task for it.
>
>> Summary:
>> It's a crazy world and I don't understand the trends or apparent
>> contradictions.
>
> Me neither.

I don't think it is that hard, and I am really surprised you can't work out
the pattern behind this:

Positive discrimination can produce measurable benefits in restoring
equality.  It does this through several mechanisms, but the biggest and most
obvious is that it provides a pool of <unprivileged class> the chance to
develop the skills and experience they need to participate equally with the
pool of <privileged class> who have been doing this for years.


The hard part of this question is, of course, "at what point does this move
from helping to hurting", because it *will* eventually do that ... as things
move to equality.

Regards,
        Daniel

Footnotes: 
[1]  This has happened several times to people I know.

-- 
✣ Daniel Pittman            ✉ daniel at rimspace.net            ☎ +61 401 155 707
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