Re: [boost] [IBD] Help request, A Woman's Point of View

From: Edward Diener (eldiener_at_[hidden])
Date: 2007-07-06 13:36:29

Martin Bonner wrote:
> ----Original Message----
> From: boost-bounces_at_[hidden]
> [mailto:boost-bounces_at_[hidden]] On Behalf Of Matias Capeletto
> Sent: 06 July 2007 13:07 To: boost-users_at_[hidden];
> boost_at_[hidden] Subject: [boost] [IBD] Help request, A Woman's
> Point of View 
> 
>> Hi,
>>
>> Joaquín Mª López Muñoz:
>>> Just wanted to say you guys are doing a terrific job with this IBD
>>> initiative. It's amazing how many people have joined in in such a
>>> short amount of time, folks with various interests and skills, to
>>> form a truly multidisciplinary team.
>> Joaquin's post make me realize that we are not a _truly
>> multidisciplinary_ team.
>> We are currently lacking a woman's point of view.
>>
>> Is there any female Booster willing to help us?
> 
> Why?  I mean, what is there that is specifically different about a "woman's point of view"?  I can certainly see that an /international/ point of view is useful (a native speaker to get the grammer right, a non-native speaker to remove colloquialisms for example), but I really don't see the point when it comes to men/women.
> 
> Incidentally, why did Joaquin's post prompt the thought?  Was it the use of "guys"?  I was surprised when I first heard "guys" being used to refer to a mixed group of boys and girls - but that was 30 years ago, so the usage is pretty established.
> 
> 

I agree with you. It is patronizing, and although perhaps not 
intentionally, insulting to women to say "we want a woman's point of 
view" ( or we want "some generalized X's" point of view ), unless it is 
something where women ( or X ) are noticeably different from men ( or 
the current group ). I can hardly believe that could ever be the case 
when it comes to working on the Boost documentation project.