[nycbug-talk] Re: Women in Open Source (fwd)

[Jesse Callaway]

So what's the report? IS there a disparity between corporate coders and 
FLOSS (corporate backed or otherwise) coders with respect to numbers of 
females?

I'm not comfortable with the current women/tech ratio, but to say that 
it's far worse in FLOSS environments is a sign that there has been no 
improvement and that it's actually worse when there aren't any cops 
around.

I believe a lot of the general problem is summed up in many books. The 
solution is just the same as that of racism. People who say racism 
isn't a problem are way too ignorant... OR are isolated in an 
environment where it doesn't seem like much of an issue. However people 
still believe in astrology which is almost the same as racism/sexism. I 
don't see weening people off of astrology anytime soon. It just won't 
go away as long as the general population maintains it's mediocrity and 
doesn't have time to think about anything but their individual sanity.

That said. I think we have more potential to turn this around than most 
populations. It's historically been noted, even in the book 'Hackers', 
that women code just as well as men. I think special interest groups 
should champion those women who do succeed because there is a cultural 
hurdle. This has been working with the African and Latino Americans... 
present someone who can be looked up to. Make it cool to be a hacker 
for girls. A lot of women are immune to the jeers, but they are special 
women. Really, think of getting into the fashion industry as a non-gay 
male.

hope I didn't contradict myself too many times here...