[Linux-aus] Special support for women

[Donna Benjamin]

You're a troll. You should be removed from this mailing list.

David Newall <davidn at davidnewall.com> wrote:
>(:-P   (tongue in cheek)
>
>Apparently we need special programmes to address an imbalance between 
>the sexes; in politics, employment, management and elsewhere, this is 
>widely accepted as appropriate.  Linux Australia is not immune to this;
>
>we give opportunities and support to females.  This puts an elephant in
>
>the corner: women gain opportunities at the expense of more capable (or
>
>more needy) men. This undermines their credibility; it raises
>reasonable 
>doubts about their competence.  Are they there from merit or merely to 
>make up the numbers?
>
>Maggie Thatcher was never PM to improve numbers; she was destined to be
>
>leader of UK; she earned the role.  Affirmative action needed no part
>in 
>her glory.  She was the best candidate.  Yet I think she must have 
>struggled to overcome doubt.  (Arguably she was better because of the 
>doubt, but that's for another day.)
>
>I say merit is blind to sex; it shines from inner strength.  I say 
>special programmes damage the interests they purport to serve.  How can
>
>someone be taken seriously if there was obligation to give a women the 
>place?  We do them naught but disservice by gifting favours that are 
>intrinsically merited.  We do naught but disservice by filling seats 
>with lesser competence.
>
>We see ourselves as a meritocracy; for sake of honesty and
>transparency, 
>our special programmes for women should candidly admit patronage of 
>incompetence over political correctness.  Let's cancel our "women in
>IT" 
>programmes and replace them with programmes that reward "incompetent 
>women in IT," or at least to widen eligibility to include hamsters and 
>fish.  That way, competent women, of which we have plenty, can leave no
>
>doubt that they won prestige merely on shining ability.
>
>Chew, swallow, digest.
>
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-- 
Donna Benjamin
@kattekrab
Sent from phone.
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