Re: PS-II spotting

Robert Harley (Robert.Harley@inria.fr)
Thu, 16 Sep 1999 11:40:58 +0200 (MET DST)


>I can't let this one go.
>Even if all of your children are boys, it is important to use language that
>makes it clear that girls can be Hackers too! [...]
>This is NOT about being PC (which is about the exercise
>of power), but is about how the words we use change the way we think
>(newspeak is double-plus ungood).

Hear hear! Perhaps the most gender-biased profession around is the
garbage-collection business. Have you EVER seen a woman collecting
your garbage? I never have.

I bet the reason for this atrocious inequality is because people tend
to refer to the guys as "dustmen". Not "dustpeople" or anything
gender-neutral like that. "Dustmen". Oh the horror!

Just imagine all the young girls who, if left to their own devices,
would grow up to be proud trash-disposal technicians. But because of
our insensitive use of language they are discouraged from a very young
age.

I demand a stop to it now!

Rob.