On 20 February 2011 11:35, Miguelinito miguelinito@gmail.com wrote:
Nice of you to read all the opinions (I also do).
Regarding your objective to increase the participation of women up to 25 % in the next four years, why not 20 % or 30 %? I mean, what reasons did you consider to choose that number? Is there some stadistical study or something like that that suggests that number as a suitable one, or is it just an arbitrary number chosen by somebody? In the same line, what would you say if finally the result were 10 %? Or 30 %? If 25 % is just a personal choice, under which criteria you could think that you succeded or failed? Is it a scientifical effort, or just a political effort under the knowledge that it's more than probable that in four years (due to the natural increase of implication of women in men's traditional roles) the final percentage will be much higher than 25 %? Please let me know; maybe I am wrong, together with some other people who think like me. I need to *trust* you and *understand* you to have positive feelings about the openness of this project.
on 2/20/11 3:36 PM, Sue Gardner at sgardner@wikimedia.org wrote:
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If Wikipedia can reduce some of the current impediments to participation (ie., if we can achieve better usability, a less combative culture, a culture that supports and coaches new editors, a culture in which people are respectful of what they don't know and don't tend to reflexively delete contributions from people who are different from them), then I think that will make it easier for ALL new people. Which would be good.
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We can't afford --and we don't want-- to lose good people. We want them here!) So I think achieving 25% won't be easy. But I think that if we put effort into achieving 25%, that 25% is a large enough minority that those editors will be able themselves to achieve some culture change, thereby effecting a virtuous cycle of openness. Basically, if my theory is correct, it'll be very tough for the first wave of new female editors, but it will get easier over time.
Sue, as you know, this is the area of my greatest concern regarding the future of the Wikipedia Project. The gender gap is a part of the larger problem you described above: That of a combative, hostile and defensive culture that presents an unchecked arena for Community Member harassment and abuse - that prevents the type of healthy, intelligent and productive collaboration that can, and will, improve and maintain the quality of the Project. Is there, are there, plans to mount a similar initiative to tackle this larger problem? To approach it as a gender-neutral problem?
Marc Riddell