[UbuntuWomen] ubuntu-women Digest, Vol 15, Issue 2

[Miss Augustina]

I understand when I read PlanetUbuntu that these are personal blogs and the
views expressed by the writers do not necessarily represent *ubuntu*.  If a
writer is being extremely offensive, that's one thing.  If a writer is
expressing an opinion over something that happened in the Ubuntu community,
I think that is perfectly OK and not in violation of any standards.  The
fact that they are choosing to express themselves in their personal blog
that they host vs on a forum gives people a lot of leeway.  Not everything
written in blogs on planet ubuntu is in line with the ubuntu code of
conduct.  If that is something that you feel is important, then instead of
targeting Caroline you should take it up with the appropriate Ubuntu
community group and suggest all blogs should equally adhere to this code.

Many of us who stand up in these situations quickly become targeted.  It
doesn't stop me from standing up but it does make me less enthusiastic about
being involved in a group where I was targeted.  I'll give an example of my
situation, and I'm curious to hear stories from other Ubuntu Women as well.


There is an independent electronic fest that happens locally called Decibel
Fest.  On a local electronic music mailing list the organizer posted an
email with the subject "Club Boobies".  I thought it was odd but ignored it
as the post itself had nothing to do with the subject.  One list member
asked why he'd used "Club Boobies" as a subject, and he replied "so that
people would read the email - everyone loves boobies" or something to that
effect.  I voiced that I felt that was really inappropriate and only served
to further marginalize women in the electronic music community, and that as
a high profile member of the community he should apologize.  Well he didn't,
he instead blasted me saying things like "the war in Iraq and our bad
president is a bigger issue it's too bad we can't focus on all the piddly
little issues out there".  I complained to the list owner and got nothing
from him.  This guy is kind of *big* in the community so everyone was afraid
to say anything to him lest they fall out of his good graces.. and basically
I got black listed.  No one said anything to me publicly although privately
I was told that they also felt he was a little out of line.  Gee thanks.

Whoa that was a lot!!  Haha..

Augustina





On 4/1/07, ubuntu-women-request at lists.ubuntu.com <
ubuntu-women-request at lists.ubuntu.com> wrote:

>
> Message: 1
> Date: Sat, 31 Mar 2007 23:16:17 -0400
> From: "Ubuntu Ready" <ubuntuready at gmail.com>
> Subject: [UbuntuWomen] A slight caveat
> To: ubuntu-women at lists.ubuntu.com
> Message-ID:
>         <229c320d0703312016x9eee592vbb502727ba23285c at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
>
> Caroline found a sexist joke on her forum, and pointed out that it
> violated
> the Ubuntu Code of Conduct. She was right in doing this. Her behavior was
> appropriate. A discussion followed as to whether or not her observation
> was
> correct. Caroline did not participate in this discussion. The poster of
> the
> sexist joke was unable to concede that his joke was inappropriate, but he
> apologized to whomever was offended. The consensus of the people on the
> forum was that the joke was inappropriate. Why was there a discussion at
> all? Because nobody at Ubuntu, not even Mark Shuttlesworth, tells the rest
> of us how to think. We decide for ourselves. The Ubuntu Community respects
> our individual autonomy, as women and men. The consensus of the people on
> the forum was that the joke was inappropriate. Apologies were made, not
> only
> by the poster, but by many others as well. Caroline did not participate in
> this discussion.
>
> Later, Caroline wrote in her blog, which was syndicated on Ubuntu UK
> Planet.
> In it, she used a rather harsh expletive, and in response, she received an
> anonymous complaint: "I find this post both offensive and rude.
> Considering
> your recent reaction to an email on the ubuntu-uk's mailing list. I am
> shocked that you use such bad language, knowing full well that it will be
> shown on the ubuntu-uk planet. If you wish to continue being so crude,
> please remove yourself from the planet."
>
> Although one could interpret such a response as baiting her, we all
> understand that text-based forums, such as email and user-groups are rife
> with misunderstandings that arise as a result of interpreting written
> language the same way we interpret speech. We can easily read sarcasm
> where
> it does not reside. Anyone who has used the internet for longer than a
> month
> has fallen into a bitter dispute over a comment misinterpreted (or
> accurately interpreted) as a flame, and friends get lost and feelings get
> hurt by such disputes. The savvy internet user knows that these disputes
> erupt constantly, and sagely side-steps them when they arise.
>
> Even if we were to interpret this comment in the most hostile possible
> way,
> the anonymous complaint has merit, even if his suggestion for resolution
> does not. The objection to her obscene language is appropriate.
>
> * Her language was offensive.
> * To my knowledge, she has not taken the admonition with nearly the grace
> that she would insist upon in the author of the sexist joke.
>
> We are all traumatized and appalled by the threats against Kathy Sierra.
> To
> suggest that Caroline is being similarly victimized is disingenuous.
>
> It is truly not my intention to upset anyone on this mailing list. I
> consider everyone on this list to be my colleagues. I would like to
> believe
> that, in this post, I have tried to treat all of you with the utmost
> respect
> and courtesy. I spent ninety minutes writing this post, and I feel I have
> been very careful in my deliberate choice of words. Should you choose to
> reply to this post, I ask that you please react to what I have written as
> if
> I spent ninety minutes writing this post, and had been very careful in my
> choice of words.
>
> Jeremy.
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