Comments on: A vindication of the rights of linkspam (13th January, 2010) http://geekfeminism.org/2010/01/13/a-vindication-of-the-rights-of-linkspam-13th-january-2010/ Women, feminism, and geek culture Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:40:41 +0000 hourly 1 By: Andrew Ducker http://geekfeminism.org/2010/01/13/a-vindication-of-the-rights-of-linkspam-13th-january-2010/comment-page-1/#comment-3533 Andrew Ducker Sun, 17 Jan 2010 21:51:51 +0000 http://geekfeminism.org/?p=2028#comment-3533 Oh, definitely problematic. But worthy of discussion, I think. There's a couple of good comments on it. Oh, definitely problematic. But worthy of discussion, I think. There’s a couple of good comments on it.

]]> By: Mel http://geekfeminism.org/2010/01/13/a-vindication-of-the-rights-of-linkspam-13th-january-2010/comment-page-1/#comment-3530 Mel Sun, 17 Jan 2010 19:33:18 +0000 http://geekfeminism.org/?p=2028#comment-3530 One of the things I appreciate about GF is similar to one of the things I appreciate about open source - that both make exploring their topics (the intersection of feminism and geekhood, the creation and use of software in a collaborative community) have much lower activation energy barriers than I had originally assumed. It's now possible to engage in each of those worlds without having to dedicate a significant portion of one's time and energies for an extended period of time specifically towards doing so. Ironically, the "I can do it in a few minutes in my spare time while studying and working?" aspect of open source software was what got me started - about 3 years ago now - and kept me engaged for long enough for it to grow as a passion, an interest, and now (increasingly for about the past year and a half) my career path. I wonder if the same thing will happen - or is happening - for geek feminism. One of the things I appreciate about GF is similar to one of the things I appreciate about open source – that both make exploring their topics (the intersection of feminism and geekhood, the creation and use of software in a collaborative community) have much lower activation energy barriers than I had originally assumed. It’s now possible to engage in each of those worlds without having to dedicate a significant portion of one’s time and energies for an extended period of time specifically towards doing so.

Ironically, the “I can do it in a few minutes in my spare time while studying and working?” aspect of open source software was what got me started – about 3 years ago now – and kept me engaged for long enough for it to grow as a passion, an interest, and now (increasingly for about the past year and a half) my career path.

I wonder if the same thing will happen – or is happening – for geek feminism.

]]> By: koipond http://geekfeminism.org/2010/01/13/a-vindication-of-the-rights-of-linkspam-13th-january-2010/comment-page-1/#comment-3524 koipond Sun, 17 Jan 2010 12:30:27 +0000 http://geekfeminism.org/?p=2028#comment-3524 That one is a bit problematic. There is commentary on the fact that dudes are more able and willing to bluff their way to get better stuff and that women tend not to do that. However, instead of being all 'Wow, this system is broken maybe we should fix it' he went the 'Ladiez, why don't you put yourself out more!' ignoring the whole system that actively discourages women from doing just that thing. That one is a bit problematic. There is commentary on the fact that dudes are more able and willing to bluff their way to get better stuff and that women tend not to do that. However, instead of being all ‘Wow, this system is broken maybe we should fix it’ he went the ‘Ladiez, why don’t you put yourself out more!’ ignoring the whole system that actively discourages women from doing just that thing.

]]> By: Restructure! http://geekfeminism.org/2010/01/13/a-vindication-of-the-rights-of-linkspam-13th-january-2010/comment-page-1/#comment-3522 Restructure! Sun, 17 Jan 2010 02:14:34 +0000 http://geekfeminism.org/?p=2028#comment-3522 That should be in the FAQ or something. :) That should be in the FAQ or something. :)

]]> By: Mackenzie http://geekfeminism.org/2010/01/13/a-vindication-of-the-rights-of-linkspam-13th-january-2010/comment-page-1/#comment-3521 Mackenzie Sun, 17 Jan 2010 01:55:12 +0000 http://geekfeminism.org/?p=2028#comment-3521 Yeah, "ugh, how can you use such a sexist term??" has come up quite a number of times. And the usual response is "we're reclaiming it." There's also DrupalChix, WikiChix, and DevChix now too. Yeah, “ugh, how can you use such a sexist term??” has come up quite a number of times. And the usual response is “we’re reclaiming it.” There’s also DrupalChix, WikiChix, and DevChix now too.

]]> By: Restructure! http://geekfeminism.org/2010/01/13/a-vindication-of-the-rights-of-linkspam-13th-january-2010/comment-page-1/#comment-3515 Restructure! Sat, 16 Jan 2010 18:43:43 +0000 http://geekfeminism.org/?p=2028#comment-3515 Speaking of LinuxChix: I read about it a few years ago, but although I am a female linux user, I was turned off by the name "LinuxChix". "Chick" is a sexist term (and understood to be by mainstream feminists), and the name of it gave me the impression of a bunch of women saying "i iz a chixx0r!!11" and I didn't want to be associated with that. I also assumed that women who call themselves "chix" must not be feminists, so there was nothing in it for me. So I continue(d) to ask for linux help by using gender-neutral usernames and pretending to be non-female. It was only when I found the GF blog I realized that LinuxChix is probably not what I had thought. But I still don't like the name "LinuxChix". Speaking of LinuxChix:

I read about it a few years ago, but although I am a female linux user, I was turned off by the name “LinuxChix”. “Chick” is a sexist term (and understood to be by mainstream feminists), and the name of it gave me the impression of a bunch of women saying “i iz a chixx0r!!11″ and I didn’t want to be associated with that.

I also assumed that women who call themselves “chix” must not be feminists, so there was nothing in it for me.

So I continue(d) to ask for linux help by using gender-neutral usernames and pretending to be non-female.

It was only when I found the GF blog I realized that LinuxChix is probably not what I had thought.

But I still don’t like the name “LinuxChix”.

]]> By: Mackenzie http://geekfeminism.org/2010/01/13/a-vindication-of-the-rights-of-linkspam-13th-january-2010/comment-page-1/#comment-3513 Mackenzie Sat, 16 Jan 2010 17:39:16 +0000 http://geekfeminism.org/?p=2028#comment-3513 I was an International Affairs major my first 2 years of uni, so I took psychology & sociology at a community college in high school and then anthropology and such type classes at the start of uni. And I still thought feminism was outdated and unnecessary because sexism doesn't exist anymore. It was the geek women I met through LinuxChix who told some of their stories that made me realise that things that'd been said to me for GWF (Geeking While Female) were actually sexist. I was an International Affairs major my first 2 years of uni, so I took psychology & sociology at a community college in high school and then anthropology and such type classes at the start of uni. And I still thought feminism was outdated and unnecessary because sexism doesn’t exist anymore. It was the geek women I met through LinuxChix who told some of their stories that made me realise that things that’d been said to me for GWF (Geeking While Female) were actually sexist.

]]> By: From comments: hacking the patriarchy | Geek Feminism Blog http://geekfeminism.org/2010/01/13/a-vindication-of-the-rights-of-linkspam-13th-january-2010/comment-page-1/#comment-3509 From comments: hacking the patriarchy | Geek Feminism Blog Sat, 16 Jan 2010 11:26:59 +0000 http://geekfeminism.org/?p=2028#comment-3509 [...] last linkspam has a comments thread about the difficulties geeky women can have exploring, explaining, attacking [...] [...] last linkspam has a comments thread about the difficulties geeky women can have exploring, explaining, attacking [...]

]]> By: Andrew Ducker http://geekfeminism.org/2010/01/13/a-vindication-of-the-rights-of-linkspam-13th-january-2010/comment-page-1/#comment-3508 Andrew Ducker Sat, 16 Jan 2010 10:24:15 +0000 http://geekfeminism.org/?p=2028#comment-3508 This might be worth sticking in the next LinkSpam: http://www.shirky.com/weblog/2010/01/a-rant-about-women/ This might be worth sticking in the next LinkSpam:
http://www.shirky.com/weblog/2010/01/a-rant-about-women/

]]> By: Restructure! http://geekfeminism.org/2010/01/13/a-vindication-of-the-rights-of-linkspam-13th-january-2010/comment-page-1/#comment-3506 Restructure! Fri, 15 Jan 2010 13:15:42 +0000 http://geekfeminism.org/?p=2028#comment-3506 To clarify, you don't learn about these things in a humanities education, either, and I also looked down on women's studies, media studies, sociology. I still probably have a bias against courses in which you are graded subjectively. To clarify, you don’t learn about these things in a humanities education, either, and I also looked down on women’s studies, media studies, sociology. I still probably have a bias against courses in which you are graded subjectively.

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