[OSGeo-Discuss] Gender bias in nominations

[Barry Rowlingson]

On Thu, Jul 24, 2014 at 11:57 PM, Jeff McKenna
<jmckenna at gatewaygeomatics.com> wrote:
> Thank you everyone for responding (María, Jo, Anne, Madi, Andrea, mpg,
> Cameron, and Regina).  I agree that the OSGeo community is always
> welcoming, and thank you for confirming that there is no issue with the
> election/nomination process.  It is sometimes hard when I receive direct
> messages with concerns and thank you for helping me handle it.
>

 With my statistician hat on here, I have to point out that this is
what we call "a biased sample". Not that the individuals are biased
themselves, but the group is necessarily going to be made up of, lets
say, "satisfied customers".

 For every Jo there may be a dozen Janes who tried to contribute to
OSGeo, found it an unwelcoming place, and quietly left with no
complaint or fuss. Complaining about bullying and harrassment can be
very difficult, and especially in a voluntary group many will just get
on with their real jobs, not seeing any great loss to themselves in
not being part of it. This contrasts with harrassment/bullying at
work, where there is greater necessity to speak out, and, one would
hope, there are established complaints procedures and a helpful union
to argue for you.

 Personally I think the gender imbalance in tech springs from the day
baby girls are first dressed in pink and given dolls and baby boys
dressed in blue and given toy guns. I'm hopeful that society is
getting better - although slowly. "Teach your children well" as Crosby
Stills and Nash did sing...

Barry