[ubuntu-women] introduction

[Clytie Siddall]

On 07/03/2006, at 4:49 PM, Sébastien Nicouleaud wrote:

> So, let's introduce my (included) self :)

We'll have to write you into an include file... ;)

Welcome, Sébastien! :)
>
> I'm a young software developer, and happy Ubuntu user (and
> bad-but-improving english speaker/writer).

Pretty good, really.

> I subscribed to this
> mailing-list because I'm interested in everything the UbuntuWomen  
> effort
> will produce.

That's great to hear.
>
> For example, I sincerely hope it will contribute to avoid some people
> behaviour I noticed on IRC chans, which don't match my vision of an
> helpful, open-minded community.

Mine neither.

I remember, a few years ago, my elder daughter was in junior high  
school, and she was asked, during a social studies class, "Who would  
be more distressed by sexual abuse, boys or girls?" She answered  
immediately, and quite unemotionally, "Boys. Because we're used to it."

I thought it was one of the saddest things I'd ever heard. :(

I've worked with refugees for many years, especially survivors of  
trauma and torture, and I have a head full of horror stories. I can  
work with hostility to women as an emergency, or an abberration, if I  
have to. What I find so hard to understand is hostility to women as a  
mainstream activity.

We encounter men online who threaten to kill us, and who try to harm  
us in any way they can. We receive the most revolting email. I have  
to filter my younger daughter's email, as well, because a man was  
sending her email that made _me_ nearly throw up, simply because she  
had signed a guest book online and revealed herself as young and  
female. I have received an amazing number of emails from women who  
say they want to contribute online, and have tried to do so, but have  
been discouraged and distressed by dismissive and hostile responses  
in established projects, lists and channels.

This has to change.

OTOH, I believe there are enough people who respect each other's  
human rights, online, to make that change.

Like the people in this group. :)

from Clytie (vi-VN, Vietnamese free-software translation team / nhóm  
Việt hóa phần mềm tự do)
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/vi-VN