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It might very well not be an original thought, but it just crossed my mind. The reason why there are so many white cishet guys within the #FLOSS community is likely to some parts because they don't have to struggle in their lives as hard as many minorities. Being able to contribute to FLOSS projects is a privilege that you have: resource wise (time, money), mental stability, less likely to struggle with daily tasks. 1/7 🧵
#floss
This entry was edited (1 year ago)
grin
grin  
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maybe it could be also related to statistics? Cishet pepole are about 80% (or more?) of the population, so it seems just logical that they outnumber noncis-nonhet in FLOSS, or anywhere else.
Interesting fact: in my circles there are more than 30% non-cis-het people doing FLOSS, way more than their representation in population. Also may be related that IT separates well online and IRL personalities.
Rhonda D'Vine 🏳️‍🌈
Rhonda D'Vine 🏳️‍🌈  
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@grin If you noticed I have said cishet guys, so the 80% is shifting the view. Like @valhalla rightfully pointed out the unpaid care work often falls on the shoulders of women. It's a socioeconomic issue, and yes, it exists in other areas too, but it makes it interesting to see it reproduced in an area that usually prides itself in a high ideal view of the world, and that's what I address in the thread.

Yes, we can't fix society as a whole, but we can do better, through our specific lense
@grin @Elena ``of Valhalla''
grin
grin  
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@valhalla I agree, okay, but then that's a multi-faceted poroblem, not just about "minorities". (Unless anyone think 51% of the population is minority.)
@Elena ``of Valhalla''
Rhonda D'Vine 🏳️‍🌈
Rhonda D'Vine 🏳️‍🌈  
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@grin Women are historically treated as minority by patriarchy. That's a structural thing, and it still shows. @valhalla
@grin @Elena ``of Valhalla''
grin
grin  
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@valhalla but then you have significantly moved the target. I cannot cover in 500 characters minorities AND women AND society AND IT AND FOSS. All these require essays to debate about.
I apologise, over and out.
@Elena ``of Valhalla''
Elena ``of Valhalla''
Elena ``of Valhalla''  
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@grin @Rhonda D'Vine 🏳️‍🌈 cishet women are about half of the cishet population, but they are a much smaller, almost 1-digit, percentage of FLOSS people (and usually under a stronger societal pressure to do other kinds of unpaid work in their free time).

Other minorities of lesser socioeconomical (mostly economical) status are basically not existent.

Personally I don't think that the FLOSS community has the means to fix what is a problem of the wider society (other than making an effort to act with basic civility, that sometimes is missing), but it doesn't mean that there isn't a problem.
@grin @Rhonda D'Vine 🏳️‍🌈
grin
grin  
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@valhalla Have you just changed the topic from cishet people to cishet males? 😒

And again: population statistics. Female ratio in IT is _not_ 50%, independent of sexual orientation.

Personally I don't think males can fix the problem of females not interested in some topics. I am not even sure there's a need to fixing it. But that's me.
@Elena ``of Valhalla''
Rhonda D'Vine 🏳️‍🌈
Rhonda D'Vine 🏳️‍🌈  
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@grin No, @valhalla didn't change the topic - *you* did. I don't want to imply intention, but it's kinda shady to accuse valhalla of changing the topic, while you were the person that did it.

Yes, males can fix that structural problem. It's not that women aren't interested in STEM, it's just that it is not very inviting, and all the structures that patriarchy built around it. Please don't close your eyes to that.
@grin @Elena ``of Valhalla''
grin
grin  
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you did.
You talked about trans people as "the" minority and now you include all women plus trans. Thats what I call "changing the target".

Your second paragraph is not true. It is not false either, it contains bits of truth and bits of conspiration theories and probably a large amount of social justice warriorship. It has not been my experience and I cannot help with your own theories.
It does not mean you sholdn't do it. Just stop trying to tell me what to think.
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