News for hackers. Stuff that matters.

A comment on Katie Bouman, the computer scientist behind the first black hole image. Parent comment

Re:Katie Bouman, the computer scientist behind the first bla... by charliepark on Thursday April 11, 2019 @07:45AM (#19633284)
Agreed with you that her accomplishment is great.

As in engineering, it's helpful to use proper terminology with people:

if using a gender is necessary for the narrative …

- under 13: girl

- 13 – 18: girl / teenager / young woman (depends on context; 16? – 25?)

- 18 or over: woman

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Katie Bouman, the computer scientist behind the first bla... by bloopernova on Thursday April 11, 2019 @09:06AM (#19634027)
Some additional anecdotal information on the above comment:

My wife absolutely loathes being called "girl". It is used to reinforce the toxic idea that women are less mature and capable than men. Same feeling from other women that I've discussed this with.

18 or over = woman.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Katie Bouman, the computer scientist behind the first bla... by leetcrew on Thursday April 11, 2019 @10:20AM (#19634756)
it's important not to allow age-based vocab to drift when you are talking about a woman vs. a man, but I think it's more contextual than you present it. there are plenty of males over the age of eighteen whom I would not refer to as "men". if you changed only the gender of these people, I would probably not refer to them as "women" either.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Katie Bouman, the computer scientist behind the first bla... by hombre_fatal on Thursday April 11, 2019 @11:51AM (#19635857)
Eh, if it was a man, a lot of people would call them a guy and nobody would care. Girl is opposite both boy and guy and encompasses the range.
[ Parent | on HN ]