Michael Snow wrote:
Traditional list etiquette encourages that approach, yes, although
really I think the odds have more to do with how the message is crafted
than with whether it is delivered publicly or privately. Here it was a
difficult balancing act. It is evident that at least some people do not
see much of a problem, perhaps not surprising since bias and
discrimination often operate in subtle and systemic ways. As a result,
it is sometimes necessary to publicly call out examples.
However, Snowdog is a valuable part of the community and has a good
reputation, so I wasn't happy to be so critical. I did try to "play the
ball, not the man" (sexist idiom, but the right gender in this case) by
focusing on the comment itself and what was offensive about it. I am
thankful that he continues to participate, with good grace and in a
constructive fashion. A "botched joke" may cost John Kerry the chance to
run for President again, but it shouldn't cost anyone the chance to post
again to this list.
--Michael Snow
Well, it was clear to me, from the beginning, that the issue of the thread
was gender bias and sexist remarks. So basically my "sexist joke" was a
field test (I'm not so stupid to make such comments in a place where those
comments are in discussion).
Working primarily on the italian Wikipedia, and since this issue has
started on en.wiki (on which I do not follow the ongoing discussions), I
wanted to realize quickly, and maybe brutally, how this kind of things are
felt. So thanks Michael for your public reply, and you all forgive me if I
used you as Guinea-pigs.