Gender Issues in Online ...
Gender Issues in Online Communications, Komputer, More Hacking
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Gender Issues in Online CommunicationsByHoai-An Truongwith additional writing and editingby Gail Williams, Judi Clark and Anna Coueyin conjunction withMembers of BAWIT -- Bay Area Women in TelecommunicationsCopyright 1993 Written for CFP 93 Version 4.1BAWIT ['bay-wit'], Bay Area Women in Telecommunications, is a groupof women working with telecom, organized to discuss women'sprofessional and social issues and computer networking, includingindustry gender bias. By doing so, BAWIT seeks to advance the stateof women who use telecom, to provide a higher profile for women inthe industry, and to encourage women and girls in their explorationof computers in general, and in particular, telecom.Signed by: Judi Clark, Anna Couey, Lile Elam, Barbara Enzer, HilarieGardner, M Normal, Naomi Pierce, Nancy Rhine, Rita Rouvalis, LeslieRegan Shade, Jillaine Smith, Hoai-An Truong, Sue vanHattum, GailWilliams, Donna Zelzer.The principal author would like to acknowledge members of BAWIT, andMills College for education on the issues discussed in this paper,and also Judi Clark, who proposed the panel on gender issues and wasinstrumental in getting the paper off the ground and throughout theprocess.Contact information for Bay Area Women in Telecome-mail: bawit-request@igc.apc.orgIntroductionDespite the fact that computer networking systems obscure physicalcharacteristics, many women find that gender follows them into theonline community, and sets a tone for their public and privateinteractions there -- to such an extent that some women purposefullychoose gender neutral identities, or refrain from expressing theiropinions.The experiences of women online are both personal and political. To acertain extent, their causes are rooted in the physical world --economics and social conditioning contribute to the limited numbersof women online. Additionally, online environments are largelydetermined by the viewpoints of their users and programmers, stillpredominantly white men.If network policies and legislation are going to determine access toinformation and participation in public media for this and the nextgenerations, it is critical that they reflect and address theperspectives of women and people of color, to avoid furthermarginalization of these constituencies. The following is anoverview of issues which members of BAWIT feel need to be addressed.We feel that these are situations worthy of further investigation andresearch.AccessThe Clinton administration has placed a priority on developing aNational Information Infrastructure, envisioning that computernetworks will be the information highways of the future. However, onmany systems, women comprise between 10 and 15 percent of the onlinepopulation. On electronic bulletin boards or BBSs, which are rarelyas supervised or monitored as the more well-known online services --such as Compuserve, America_nline and Prodigy -- their numbers tendto be far lower. Why? And what are the implications of inequities ingender representation in the information infrastructure?It is likely that economics impact women's online participation to alarge degree. On average, women's salaries are 40% lower than men's,leaving women with less disposable income for computers, modems,software, online services and any additional phone charges.While electronic mail [or e-mail] is fast becoming common in theworkplace, it is still predominantly used by those in technicalfields, whether in educational institutions or in business; or bythose with technical facility or training. Men who use the Internethave a higher likelihood of being in an academic, management, ortechnical position offering free access as one of the prerequisitesof their jobs. Thus, a higher percentage of men have both thetechnical training and subsidized access to participate online thanwomen do.Additional deterrents to online participation may be attributed towomen's roles in society. While more women are in the workplace, theyoften are still primary caretakers for their children, and in amajority of households, women bear the brunt of household chores.Women may find they have less free time to learn to navigate onlinesystems.Women in Computer StudiesAnother deterrent to women's entering the computer field or makingthemselves at home on the net is the negative stereotype of thesocially isolated computer nerd. Women may need help overcomingvisions of becoming or associating with technology-obsessed nerds andadolescents who are seen as likely to populate online systems. Thishas had research attention as a significant reason why femalesstudents tend to drop out of computer studies.Professors tend to call upon and address their remarks to malestudents more often than female students, as several studies show.Additionally, there are few opportunities for women to be mentored inhigher education or in their careers. Executives or professors --often male -- are likely to identify with, encourage and mentoranother male, rather than a female. By itself, lack of attention ormentors may not be a deterrent; however, coupled with other socialfactors and discrimination, it often contributes to feelings ofdiscouragement and isolation, low confidence and feelings ofunworthiness, and higher dropout rates.Despite the fact that women often use computers in business settings,technical roles -- from programming of telecom software to operatingcommunications systems -- remain predominantly male. Invitations tosysop gatherings addressed "Dear Sir" and including "your wife iswelcome," customers who ask for a manager when they hear a femalevoice on a technical help call, and the popular culture archetypes ofcomputer enthusiasts as male, are continual reminders of commonassumptions based on gender. Even when female students do as well orbetter than their male peers, they tend to feel less competent. Intechnical fields, the common assumption by both men and by womenthemselves is that women don't do as well as men. Women are then lesslikely to take on projects which may either prove their ability orprovide additional expertise, because they don't feel qualified.InterfaceAccess to online communications is not simply a function ofeconomics. The technical expertise required to establish access toonline systems, and the interfaces users encounter when they getthere can be significant deterrents to online participation fornon-technical users. While graphical user interfaces cansignificantly ameliorate this problem, they are system specific, asituation which can hamper access for small or $communityorganizations and lower income individuals who can only afford olderand non-standard equipment, if at all.Studies have attempted to explain the reasons that fewer girls thanboys pursue technical fields. Some studies indicate that genderimpacts perception. Network interfaces are typically designed by men;if the studies are correct, it would appear that developinginterfaces that rely on women's perceptive skills in addition tomen's would impact online participation. Interestingly enough, LesRadke, who teaches a computer class at Richmond High, finds that inhis class boys gravitate towards computer games, while girls usee-mail and read USENET.Perceived UsefulnessAn even greater deterrent for non-technical users is the perceptionof usefulness. As BAWIT member Donna Zelzer explains: "...Look at theautomobile. It's expensive, it's mechanical... And, if you make amistake, you can KILL someone. And of course men make fun of womendrivers all the time. Yet despite these obstacles, millions of womenown cars and drive them every day. Why? Because they see cars asuseful and even necessary to their lifestyles. But most women don'tfeel this way about computers or going online."Network systems and projects geared to serving non-technical usersfind that education is a tremendous part of their work, and thatconcrete benefits must be demonstrated to overcome a new user'sinvestment of time and money to learn to telecommunicate. And whatare the benefits? Network users often describe virtual community as abenefit of being online; professionals and activists find they cangather, access, and disseminate information and viewpoints notreadily available from mass media. Yet while the networks candemocratize publishing, they also impose additional cost oninformation. Herbert Schiller's "Culture, Inc.," among informationand space. As the nets become increasingly commercialized, theyfurther establish class differentiation between those who can affordthe luxury of participating in online systems and those who cannot.Social Interaction and Gender-Based PerceptionsA newly created bulletin board in the Bay Area started up aconference with a posting comparing women to pets that occasionallyneed to be put to sleep. This type of demeaning communicationinvolving women is quite typical of bulletin boards, which mayprovide an outlet for males to share humor they would suppress in amixed setting. This can be a disincentive to participate, especiallyif this is an initial or persistent online experience.People will say things online that they will not say face to face. Inaddition, missing elements of conversation, such as facialexpression, vocal clues, and other conventions have a complex effecton online interactions. Additionally there are unresolveddifficulties in the frank discussion and expression of sexualitybetween men and women, in which intent is often misunderstood.An element of this technology is a tradition of sometimes colorfuldiatribes or "flaming". Since women tend to use language differentlythen men do, these highly aggressive language patterns ma...
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