On 12/4/06, Matt R <matt_crypto(a)yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
Any idea to make Wikipedia a more comfortable
place for people to get
involved
is a worthy one, and I support a forum for
editors to discuss issues of
gender
bias in wikis, to promote wikis to potential
female editors, and for
general
discussion of wikis in a female-friendly
environment.
However, I have to confess to being unhappy with the existence of an
officially-endorsed *females-only* mailing list and wiki. Discussion
isn't
enabled by segregating the people who should be
talking to each other
about a
problem, and I do not think Wikipedia should be
in the business of
excluding
people from discussions because of their gender.
WikiChix can still be
made a
female-friendly forum by use of moderation.
Ubuntu Women say, "Ubuntu-Women is not about segregation of women,
rather
its
goal is to integrate women as equals within the
mainstream development
going on
in the Ubuntu world. Remember, membership is open
to all and not based
on
gender alone. If you want to increase diversity
and encourage women in
Linux
please don't hesitate to speak to us."
I urge you to follow their example, but otherwise keep up the good work,
I second this completely.
-Kat
Yes, on second thought I'm not happy with the list being female-only either;
though that's perhaps a discussion to have on the new list itself.
Moderation and a commitment to the discussion at hand seems like it would do
the trick.
-- phoebe