[hackerspaces] hackerspace demographics

[Sam Ley]

On Mon, Jan 14, 2013 at 9:41 PM, Matt Joyce <matt at nycresistor.com> wrote:

> Despite the insipid commentary of the lesser trolls on this list.  I
> am still curious about why you thought this was a gender conflict and
> not a group dynamic conflict
>

While the responses were a bit insipid, there was a point to be heard
there, if you listen to it... A common feature of discussions regarding
exclusion is that it is always initially difficult for people who are a
member of the excluding group to sympathize with the excluded group. The
stereotypical negative response by a member of the excluding group is to
raise the burden of proof requirement so high that it becomes impossible to
"prove" anything, thereby invalidating the experience of the excluded.
Think Donald Trump's recent behavior if you want a funny example.

The topic is worth additional discussion, but don't be too hard on people
who are already working from a point of disadvantage. Group dynamics are
clearly at work, but gender is one of the most dominate aspects of group
dynamics in most human interactions.

-Sam
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