[UbuntuWomen] on names, language and a request for advice

[Karin Qadri]

I don't like derogatory names like stupid girl but the people using them just make themselves look bad. Not your problem. Dumb email user names  make me cringe  too. Some  users  who email business correspondence from those dumb user names are making themselves look bad.

Sheesh

Karin



> Date: Tue, 19 Feb 2008 13:20:57 -0500
> From: emmajane at xtrinsic.com
> To: ubuntu-women at lists.ubuntu.com
> Subject: [UbuntuWomen] on names, language and a request for advice
> 
> I have a bit of a dilemma that I'd like advice on... (a variation of
> this was also posted on my personal blog www.emmajane.net)
> 
> I occasionally give tech support in #ubuntu. This weekend someone logged
> into the channel with the nickname "stupidgirl." While I cannot confirm
> the person's gender, I can definitely confirm their questions were not
> stupid. They asked a lot of really good questions and were obviously
> trying to solve a very tricky problem. I found it jarring even though
> nothing about the person's behaviour was negative. It was just the name
> that made me uncomfortable.
> 
> Unclear on how to deal with the problem, I joined the staff room and
> asked, "Out of curiosity: is there a way to NOT allow the user name
> 'stupidgirl'?" http://irclogs.ubuntu.com/2008/02/18/%23ubuntu-ops.html
> I logged out at 6:07. They continued to talk about me. The tone
> continued to lack respect for the issue. I was unable to articulate my
> concern in a way that made sense to the staff.
> 
> I decided the only real way to deal with my concern was to go to the
> source of my concern. I sent stupidgirl a private message that read,
> "I'm part of the Ubuntu Women project. I just wanted to drop you a
> little note to say that I find your name jarring. I don't think it helps
> to provide positive language for women in technology." It turned into a
> lovely discussion. I helped her with the question she'd been asking
> earlier and pointed her at a bunch of resources and provided support
> while she tried to fix her problem (ultimately she solved the problem
> using a different approach and without my help the next day).
> 
> Once she was settled on how to tackle her problem I asked, "So now that
> I've done you a favour with the instructions... can I ask for a favour?
> Your nick... I really do think it doesn't help to give women in FOSS
> positive language/role models/etc." And with that she changed her name
> and was using her revised name today when I logged into #ubuntu-women. I
> am delighted beyond words that such a simple action on my part created
> the change that I wanted to see.
> 
> I understand that the volunteer staff do not have the time to address
> everyone's concerns. I understand they make choices based on what they
> feel is important to the rest of the community. But they have all signed
> a Code of Conduct that requires them to be respectful. Dismissing my
> concerns as "emotional" is not respectful. Every day I scan thousands
> upon thousands of words. Emails, Web pages, text-based chatrooms,
> reports. I am affected by what I see on screen. I am sure that others
> are too.
> 
> It is the collective sum of our token actions that will make the
> difference in the end. We cannot solve a problem if we are not willing
> to tackle it. And we cannot tackle it if we do not name it. And we
> cannot name it if our language doesn't recognize it.
> 
> 
> And now for the questions:
> (1) do you think derogatory names impact our perception of that group?
> (2) do you think names like "stupidgirl" should be permitted?
> (3) how can we create a positive space (for women) without censoring people?
> (4) how would you have addressed the problem with the #ubuntu-ops
> channel so they understood my concern (clearly I was not effective,
> pointers are appreciated)?
> (5) are there further actions that I should take (including addressing
> the issue directly with the IRC Council)?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> regards,
> emma
> 
> -- 
> Emma Jane Hogbin, B.Sc.
> Founder, xtrinsic
> phone: (519) 371-2665
> web: www.xtrinsic.com
> 
> HICK Tech 2008: Do you have your tickets yet? www.hicktech.com
> 
> -- 
> ubuntu-women mailing list
> ubuntu-women at lists.ubuntu.com
> https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-women

_________________________________________________________________
Climb to the top of the charts! Play the word scramble challenge with star power.
http://club.live.com/star_shuffle.aspx?icid=starshuffle_wlmailtextlink_jan
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-women/attachments/20080219/67bf1923/attachment.html>