Re: [PLUG] Philly Linux Chix

["Edward M. Corrado" <ecorrado@athena.rider.edu>]

I've been following this discussion with some interest even though I
don't really have a position on it (except maybe that if the Philly Linux 
Chix think the group has value to them, then it most likely does have
value).

I can see some very good arguments for both the pro-Philly LinuxChix side
(and why they might not want to allow men) and the people who question its
value and/or feel left out/discriminated because they don't allow men. I
can understand why some women may feel that they have been discriminated
against in the IT field and/or be uncomfortable in a situation when they
are one of the few (or the only one) women in a technology-related group
such as a LUG. 

However, from what I've seen just about everyone I've talked to that
are involved with LUGs <plug on> including LUG/IP[2] which I am president
of <plug off> really would like to see more women involved and that they
treat the [few] women that are involved just like they would anyone
else. I'd say everyone since I can't think of anyone at the LUG meetings
that I have been to that would be against more women involvement, but I'm
sure that there are a few "neanderthals" out there in LUG-land. 

Actually, come to think of it I have not seen much more then a few
isolated incidents to say that there has been much discrimination
against women from IT professionals[1], but this may be more a function of
where I have worked (all my jobs in the IT area have been in academia or
the library world which tends to be much more progressive then say, the
corporate world) then reality. Not to mention that a women could
probably rightly say (at least to some extent) that since I'm a guy I
may have had my head in the sand and didn't notice the incidents.

What does this all have to do with anything? I have no idea - probably
nothing, but I thought it might provide a little background into where I'm
coming from. 

If my presumption is correct that almost all of the people involved with
LUGs would like to see more female involvement, how is that accomplished?

I wish I had a clue on how to answer this - but I really don't. However, I
think this is probably a very good question to look into. If anyone does
have some ideas, especially the women on the list, I'd love to hear them
because I think it is something that should be investigated. Besides an
answer to the general question on "how to get more women to a LUG
meeting?" I'd like to hear some suggestions on what type of questions LUGs
should be asking of themselves and what they should be asking of female
Linux users.

Ed C.


[1] I say from inside of the profession versus not at all because I have
seen many more cases of people from outside the IT departments thinking
that because I sound like a guy on the phone I'd be better able to help
them with a question. Ironically, I've seen this work the other way in
Library-land when people can't possibly believe that I'm the correct
person to help them with a reference question since I'm a man.

[2] LUG/IP is the Linux Users Group/In Princeton (NJ). For information go
to http://www.lugip.org or e-mail me.

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