<CPOV> New Paper: Free as in Sexist?: Free Culture and the Gender Gap

[Joseph Reagle]

I thought people on the list might be interested in the following.

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http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/4291/3381

> Despite the values of freedom and openness, the free culture  movement’s gender balance is as skewed (or more so) as that of the 
computing culture from which it arose. Based on the collection and 
analysis of discourse on gender and sexism within this movement over a 
six–year period. I suggest three possible causes: (a) some geek 
identities can be narrow and unappealing; (b) open communities are 
especially susceptible to difficult people; and, (c) the ideas of 
freedom and openness can be used to dismiss concerns and rationalize the 
gender gap as a matter of preference and choice.