Re:Help fund Rails Girls Summer of Code 2014
by justinsteele on Thursday April 03, 2014 @02:00PM
(#7524698)
We can all simply "make an effort not to let it happen" in 2014? Shucks, I wish we had thought of this earlier! Such an easy solution.
I'm not offering a solution but just what I think is a more sensible way of approaching the problem.
Re:Help fund Rails Girls Summer of Code 2014
by harrylyme on Wednesday April 09, 2014 @04:47PM
(#7562248)
I hear that there are preschools in Sweden where any gender specific language usage is expressedly prohibited (e.g. young children aren't told if they are boys or girls to prevent perpetuating gender stereotypes during their formative years)
Concerning gender equality: is there any lesson to be learned by the Sweden example?
NYTimes Article on Swedish Pre-schools:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/14/world/europe/swedish-schoo...
If women have suffered discrimination in the software development community, we can all make an effort not to let it happen. But to create an institutionalized/organized effort towards countering prejudice is to strengthen it by latching on to it, rather than acknowledging it and letting it go.
EDIT: To clarify my point, I think we all need to be aware of not only genderism but unfounded prejudice in general, towards all human beings. An institution/organization or summer camp towards the equality of all seems to me a more equitable premise rather than a 'Girls-only' camp, which seems to be legitimate only because most of us are aware of the historical prejudices towards women.