Free as in sexist? Free culture and the gender gap

Posted by slacker_mike on Jan 16, 2013 2:04 AM EDT
University of Illinois at Chicago; By Joseph Reagle 		Mail this story
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Despite the values of freedom and openness, the free culture movement’s gender balance is as skewed (or more so) as that of the computing culture from which it arose. Based on the collection and analysis of discourse on gender and sexism within this movement over a six–year period. I suggest three possible causes: (a) some geek identities can be narrow and unappealing; (b) open communities are especially susceptible to difficult people; and, (c) the ideas of freedom and openness can be used to dismiss concerns and rationalize the gender gap as a matter of preference and choice.

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Yes, I wish people wouldn't be jerks sometimes, too. Bob_Robertson 13 1,251 Jan 22, 2013 4:02 PM
Broken link caitlyn 11 1,188 Jan 16, 2013 5:48 PM

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