[soc.feminism] Electronic Communications anResources for women

kevins@cie.uoregon.edu (Kevin Smolkowski) (12/11/90)

 I have a couple of friends who are interested in researching what is
available in terms of electronic communcations and information sharing
for women.  

They are considering setting up a Bulletin Board system and/or the
purchase of a machine that could form the basis of a net accessable
information resource geared toward women's issues.

What they are looking for is some help with discovering what is 
already out there and what kind of services would be helpful.

If you have any helpful information or comments please feel free
to drop us a line.  I am acting as a techinical advisor and any
comments will be forwarded to the group itself.  Comments can
also be sent directly to Sandy Ellis at Sandye@ori.org.

You can reach me at any of the below addresses:
Kevins@ori.org, Kevins@cie.uoregon.edu, wizard@greylady.uoregon.edu.


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Kevins@cie.uoregon.edu - You don't know pain until you have to program in DCL
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daemon@ucsd.EDU (12/15/90)

In article <1990Dec11.042632.28846@ariel.unm.edu> kevins%cie.uucp@ariel.unm.edu (Kevin Smolkowski) writes:
>
> I have a couple of friends who are interested in researching what is
>available in terms of electronic communcations and information sharing
>for women.
>
>They are considering setting up a Bulletin Board system and/or the
>purchase of a machine that could form the basis of a net accessable
>information resource geared toward women's issues.

There is an assumption in this that really bothers me. In my view, the
whole of USENET, with the possible exception of soc.men, is "available
electronic communications and information sharing for women", just as
much as it is for men.

I don't magically stop being a woman when I am reading about computer
architecture, or benchmarks, or Unix.

The assumption is that such resources are only "for women" when they
are being used to discuss "women's issues". Unless you consider every
issue that any woman cares about to be a "women's issue", this is just
not true. This is a very one-dimensional view of women, treating us as
invisible when we are concerning ourselves with the subjects that
interest us as unique individuals, unless those subject are "women's
issues".

Why do people make this assumption?
--
	Patricia Shanahan
	ps@fps.com
        uucp : ucsd!celerity!ps
	phone: (619) 271-9940