[clug] Open Source Software's Dirty Little Secret

[Jacinta Richardson]

Brendan Jurd wrote:

> Right, I've seen this effect at work too.  And it seems to me to be
> the real meat of the issue.  We're all standing around wringing our
> hands about how to encourage women into FOSS when this is precipitated
> by something that begins AT BIRTH and continues right up through
> schooling?
> 
> I feel that by the time a generation of girls have made it through
> that filtering process, there are going to be so few real geeks left
> among them that even if FOSS was the very model of asexual behaviour,
> it wouldn't be enough to generate a critical mass of female
> participation.

Indeed.  By the time a generation of girls have made it through the filtering
process there are few female geeks left to get into FOSS but FOSS isn't the very
model of asexual behaviour, and there are a few women in FOSS.  Don't throw your
hands up and say it's all too hard.

You can't change - at least not all at once - the factors that mean that there
are only 28% of women working in IT, and you should be aware that this number
really should be closer to 50% and it *is* in some countries like Malaysia
(actually I believe it's 60% women over there).

You *can* make FOSS a more fun place for the women who are already involved and
for those who have the skills (or who want to develop them) to get involved.
Making FOSS a more fun place for women should make it more fun for men too.
There are lots of men who aren't involved in FOSS for similar reasons to the
women; they find it exclusionary, cliquey, they don't like to be flamed for
trying to learn, they don't want to dedicate 40 hours a week to a project but
would rather be a more casual contributor...  There are lots of men in FOSS who
stay despite disliking many of those characteristics.

Using inclusive language, inviting and then encouraging people to participate,
mentoring, thanking people for their contributions, offering help, providing
constructive, useful criticism with explanations if required; all of these are
good things that help.  Take it a little further and add: objecting to sexist,
racist, other -ist "jokes", not requiring members to have thick skins,
condemning bad behaviour (not the same as condemning the person) and you will
make a difference.  A bigger difference than you might expect even.  If everyone
did it, could you imagine the change that would occur?

All the best,

	Jacinta

PS:  Daniel mentioned some privileges.  Understanding the privileges you have
can be quite confronting, but I have certainly found the following links to be
helpful:

* White privilege:
http://womenscreativecollective.org/blog/2009/01/white-privilege-unpacking-the-invisible-knapsack/

* Male privilege:
http://www.amptoons.com/blog/the-male-privilege-checklist/

* Heterosexual privilege
http://www.cs.earlham.edu/%7Ehyrax/personal/files/student_res/straightprivilege.htm


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