Café Society will meet at the Cultural Center on Wednesday, February 16
From Where Are the Women in Wikipedia? By Susan C. Herring
“I was not surprised to read that 87 percent of contributors to Wikipedia are men….Wikipedia, like the linguist list, is a site where discourse is not infrequently contentious. On ‘talk’ pages, where the process of article creation is hashed out, one’s contributions are often challenged, and some contributors, anonymous and otherwise, use rude and haranguing language. Such environments are — if not outright intimidating — unappealing to many women.”
Questions for Consideration
Given that 87% of Wikipedia contributors are men, how might this affect the perspective of its content? What accounts for this gender gap in Wikipedia? Why is it important to increase female contribution in public discourse and in public Internet communication? How can we encourage this?
Want to learn more?
Ladies, Can We Talk (About Wikipedia)?
Twenty-Three Short Thoughts About Women and Criticism