From a geek mailing list where they are currently retreading the endless arguments about why there aren't more women in Open Source.
Now arguably, "chick" is a bit derogatory.
It's not even ironic British understatement - the writer isn't British. But it's a good indication of just how far we still have to go.
I've read two things this morning that show that even in the 21st century, misogyny and sexism are alive and well.
Firstly, here's brian d foy writing about a nasty advert that was published in a Linux magazine recently. The company involved seem to think that drawing a comparison between their products and oral sex is a reasonable way to act.
And then there's a (female!) Daily Mail reporter explaining why women shouldn't object to having their bottoms pinched. In fact she thinks it should be encouraged. She goes on to say that she enjoys it when she attracts wolf-whistles.
It's like it's still the 1950s. I despair.
So overnight I was planning another entry that would explain further why I don't think that "tequila slammer girls" are appropriate entertainment for a professional software conference.
But this morning I read this and this. Pointing out the offence in what Russ Michaels is doing is one thing, but submitting his web server to denial of service attacks and subscribing his wife and him to porn mailing lists is something else completely. That's not something that I could ever condone. Russ might be a bit of an idiot, but no-one deserves that.
If it's any of my readers who are perpetrating these attacks then please grow up and stop it.
I've removed the original piece (and replaced it with this) to prevent anyone else coming across it in the coming weeks and thinking it would be clever to wreak fuckwitted vengence on Russ or his family.
Why is the world so full of idiots?
Recent Comments