mapellegrini@comcast.net wrote:

I thought I'd let you know that the facebook ("Rogue's gallery" as Andrewa humerously called it) is open at [[Wikipedia:Facebook]]. It's a compilation of pictures of our contributors.

The idea itself is pretty good, but the page already demonstrates that it doesn't really work because almost everybody is going to try to be special and either distort their image beyond recognition (e.g. LordSuryaofShropshire) or use something that barely even depicts their self (e.g. Anth�re). To a non-Wikipedian, this kind of thing reinforces the belief that Wikipedia is run/controlled by a bunch of weirdos.

Timwi

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I will be very frank with you Timwi, I think your comment is plain irrespectful, and a total dismissal of the variety of contributors to the project.

There are many types of contributors on Wikipedia, and so far, it is a key principle that Wikipedia is open to all participants, whatever their gender, their age, their culture, their level of education.

In case you are not aware, there are many women all over the world, who do not show part of their body, hair, or even face, to people who are not part of their family. That does not mean these women are weirdos. That just mean these women have a different culture from your culture. They are regular women, with the same type of intelligence or wiseness or leadership (to stick to your comment), that any women wearing westernish clothes (such as a bikini, as many french people keep requesting from me).

In my opinion, Wikipedia is not *only* an encyclopedia. We are not here *only* to gather knowledge, and make it available to the larger number of people in the world. I think we are also here to learn from others, to acknowledge that other opinions exist, that it is best to take them into account, and to respect this diversity. I am convinced that this is a first step for peace, and indeed the first step for all of us to succeed to work together. And boy is it a high step !

If we ever want this encyclopedia to be used all over the world with full trust, such as perhaps in muslim countries, it is best that we collectively show that we are able ourselves to respect all these differences.

Claiming that the picture of a face covered female participant "will reinforce the belief Wikipedia is run/controlled by weidoes", is NOT exactly a step in that direction.

I think you have earned the right to make a couple of edits to one of the following articles on Wikipedia :-) * Islam in France * Ni putes, ni soumises * Or the article about islamic veil and the law about banning religious signs in France

Anthere

PS : I often have questions about that picture, featured picture, and used in two encyclopedic articles, and no, not an islamic veil. To make it crystal clear : that was the first personal picture I uploaded on Wikipedia. I did so around february or march 2003, and kept it on my user page for a good couple of months. And yes, the time of upload was deliberate.

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