[hackerspaces] Women in Makerspaces

[Seth Woodworth]

I've been a member of a space for four months, and historically pirateship
has had 0-10% female members over it's history.  We're only ~12 members,
but this is still far far too low of a ratio.  I am concerned about the
issue, but I don't know how to fix it.


On Thu, Jan 17, 2013 at 3:02 PM, Melissa Hall <melissa.hall at gmail.com>wrote:

> Hi! A question, what exactly do you want to know from other women? If
>> they also feel uncomfortable when there's less than 15% or so women? Or
>> what values we seek in makerspaces/hackerspaces? If other women think
>> they can take leadership? Or if they actually would like to take
>> leadership? Or if we need another women to take leadership? Or... all of
>> the above?!
>> Grtz,
>> Spider
>
>
> Spider- Any of those things would seem like an interesting thing to
> discuss, this was really more a sort of this is how I feel, how do you feel
> thing than a request for data.
>
>
> Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2013 18:12:37 +0100 (CET)
>> From: quemener.yves at free.fr
>> To: Hackerspaces General Discussion List
>>         <discuss at lists.hackerspaces.org>
>> Subject: Re: [hackerspaces] Women in Makerspaces
>> Message-ID:
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>> 1878579363.182892211.1358442757643.JavaMail.root at zimbra60-e10.priv.proxad.net
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>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
>>
>>
>>
>> > De: "Melissa Hall" <melissa.hall at gmail.com>
>> > I also know that, for me, there is a kind of "hacker culture" "macho"
>> > that also works poorly for me. That is the idea that focus and time
>> > is the measure of value. The values I prefer in space to feel
>> > comfortable are "taking care of each other", which can sometimes rub
>> > rugged individualists the wrong way, but which I have also always
>> > felt is a deep part of the geek/hacker/maker culture we all share.
>>
>> That is interesting, because it is the first time I see the idea of
>> dedication and focus labelled as "macho". I would like to understand
>> what makes you think that this is somehow an anti-feminine value. I
>> have never seen anyone claim that being focused on a project is a
>> masculine value or somehow requires more testosterone than caffeine.
>>
>
> To me "Macho" is not exclusively male and refers to an attitude that "I
> can take it, I am tougher, and harder and can keep going when others fail".
>  Being "tough enough" to take long hours or poor working conditions is
> something I see as Macho.  I also see women who put up with boys clubs,
> being hit on aggressively and being sexualized as being Macho because they
> are proving they can take it.
>
> It is a quirky definition of the word and I probably should not have used
> it without better definition, but the I can take it form of Macho is just a
> common in hacker communities (the game programming world seems to run on
> it) as it is in high level sports.  If you are likely to get called a wuss
> for wanting better treatment, I consider that a macho environment.
>
> Given that perspective can you see why I see "grinding" as Macho?
>
>
>> Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2013 12:29:56 -0600
>> From: Tim Saylor <tim.saylor at gmail.com>
>> To: Hackerspaces General Discussion List
>>         <discuss at lists.hackerspaces.org>
>> Subject: Re: [hackerspaces] Women in Makerspaces
>> Message-ID:
>>         <CAM1yh5X_nihitXz8TmzLRBVCUmaEv=-
>> a_5hO566+scqpYp42-w at mail.gmail.com>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>>
>>
>> On Thu, Jan 17, 2013 at 7:43 AM, Melissa Hall <melissa.hall at gmail.com
>> >wrote:
>>
>> > And I hesitate to talk about such things in "geek space" without data to
>> > backing.
>>
>>
>> You should know that even when people call you out and say you're wrong,
>> other people (like me) are listening and learning, and trying to improve
>> the culture in their communities.
>>
>> --
>> @tsaylor
>> http://www.timsaylor.com/
>>
>
> Thank you.
>
>
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