I'm just chiming in super-fast to say I really like the idea of creating some noise and momentum around International Women's Day: that would be really great. I am tempted to say we could handle it exactly like the 10th -- in that, i) anybody could initiate projects and events, ii) there could be a central page for listing them, which would stimulate more people to participate, and iii) the Wikimedia Foundation could commission the creation of, and disseminate, affiliative swag. (I think I just made up a new piece of jargon: affiliative swag!)
But I'm loathe to really say all that, because I know that the 10th anniversary was a lot of work for people like Steven Walling (Wikimedia fellow, on this list) and Jay Walsh (Head of Communications for Wikimedia, and I think not on this list). Plus the planning for that started significantly earlier. So the Wikimedia Foundation would not be able to support an event geared for March as fully as we did the 10th.
Having said that, if someone wants to start drafting an announcement (with an FAQ) on meta or elsewhere, maybe we can collectively whip up some interest in this. It would be really great, and --as people here have said-- I bet we could gather in lots of new partners and supporters for the goal of reducing the gender gap. I think lots of people are ready & willing to help, if they get a little coaching and guidance from the group here :-)
Thanks, Sue
On 9 February 2011 15:02, SlimVirgin slimvirgin@gmail.com wrote:
On Wed, Feb 9, 2011 at 08:52, Monaghan, Patricia PMONAGHA@depaul.edu wrote:
Just joining this list; I am an environmental scholar in Chicago and also active in scholarly organizations around women and religion, and environment and religion.
I'd like to second/third/whatever the idea of a "women post to wiki" month. Speaking organizationally, it would be easier to post to lists like H-WOMEN etc, to generate activity for the month. I would hope some of those who post would then continue to contribute.
Speak but the word! Patricia Monaghan (DePaul University and Black Earth Institute)
Thanks for starting this thread, Patricia. People are discussing this in one of the other threads and there's a danger it'll get missed.
Susan Spencer suggested in "A pet peeve / cliche" that we have some kind of women's editing month. Sydney Poor and Daniel Case have joined in with ideas. One idea is to centre it around March 8, international women's day, which in previous years has seen women-oriented DYKs and various other things.
Could we make this more widespread? The WP logo with the Venus symbol. A group of women editors willing to act as a welcoming party. Special DYKs and TFAs. A statement from Sue to the press announcing it?
Ideas for a name -- "Wikipedia Women's Week" (or Month) or just "Wikipedia Women".
Sarah http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:SlimVirgin
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