December 12, 2014

"Last week, Wikipedia’s highest court, the Arbitration Committee, composed of 12 elected volunteers who serve one- or two-year terms, handed down a decision in a controversial case..."

"... having to do with the site’s self-formed Gender Gap Task Force, the goal of which is to increase female participation on Wikipedia from its current 10 percent to 25 percent by the end of next year."

The dispute, which involved ongoing hostility from a handful of prickly longtime editors, had simmered for at least 18 months. In the end, the only woman in the argument, pro-GGTF libertarian feminist Carol Moore, was indefinitely banned from all of Wikipedia over her uncivil comments toward a group of male editors, whom she at one point dubbed “the Manchester Gangbangers and their cronies/minions.” Two of her chief antagonists in that group got comparative slaps on the wrist. One was the productive but notoriously hostile Eric “Fuck Wikipedia” Corbett, who has a milelong track record of incivility, had declared the task force a feminist “crusade ... to alienate every male editor,” and called Moore “nothing but a pain in the arse,” among less printable comments; he was handed a seemingly redundant “prohibition” on abusive language. The other editor was Sitush, who repeatedly criticized Moore for being “obsessed with an anti-male agenda” and then decided to research and write a Wikipedia biography of her; he walked away with a mere “warning.” With the Arbitration Committee opting only to ban the one woman in the dispute despite her behavior being no worse than that of the men, it’s hard not to see this as a setback to Wikipedia’s efforts to rectify its massive gender gap....

22 comments:

Vet66 said...

...and they wonder why there is a gender gap. Reminds me of the song "Man-eater"! I'd fire whoever hired this perpetually angry misfit beating the drums of misogyny celebrating her religion of anti-male with no chance at redemption. Men are her slaves in the rowing galley being constantly flogged by her version of Wonder Woman. Makes you wonder...!

Phil 314 said...

"The truth is out there"

(This article needs additional citations for verification.)

Laslo Spatula said...

Everyone wants to be The Gatekeeper. They don't notice that people are hopping over the fence.

I am Laslo.

Unknown said...

The article sounds like an analog for U.S. politics.

rehajm said...

When women invent Wikipedia increasing female participation will become a low priority.

Unknown said...

A libertarian feminist. I wonder if that can possibly mean what it says. Such a camp exists but, apart from Wendy McElroy, I've never become aware of any members.

TosaGuy said...

Sounds like a crowd that doesn't deserve my $3.

rcocean said...

Another left-wing tiff.

Christy said...

What do you figure is the psychological profile of the average Wikipedia participant?

mikee said...

Everywhere I look I see precious flowers, rotting from the heads down.

TCR James said...

They're going to have trouble finding that many obsessive compulsive women who also suffer from Aspergers.

HoodlumDoodlum said...

It really is shameful how an open source organization like Wikipedia that says they want input and content creation from everyone nonetheless bans female contributors. I mean, that's why female contributor participation is only 10%, right, because the organization and male contributors are keeping woment out? They must use some sort of gender identity algorithm to prevent edits and posts from female contributors from making it--or maybe they're preventing female contributors from even submitting edits (somehow).

Geez, why is the goal only 25%? Shouldn't it be 52% or so?
If only Wiki was run by a public univ., we'd have the Title IX suit sewn up.

Abdul Abulbul Amir said...


This is another example of intolerance for differences in interest between men and women. Instead of celebrating this diversity, it MUST be erased.

Levi Starks said...

Most of the women I know who actually should be participating in Wikipedia are either pinning their favorite decadent brownie mixes on Pinterest, or playing Candy Crush. I mean it's like they just don't seem to care.

n.n said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
n.n said...

According to regulatory psychiatrists, who are notoriously selective, there would be a 20-something way gap. They will need to expand the total committee membership, if they intend to remain in compliance with social regulations.

Sam L. said...

Soooooooooooooooi. I see a press-gang coming to sweep up women and force them to comment and edit.

Drago said...

Has Wikipedia not thought to reach out to Wendy Davis and Mary Burke.

Both accomplished in the fine art of being females and, I understand, available.

Drago said...

Sam L.: "Soooooooooooooooi. I see a press-gang coming to sweep up women and force them to comment and edit."

More women would comment and edit I believe if keyboards weren't so patriarchal.

Anonymous said...

I don't suppose spelling it Wikipedi@ would help any?

Jupiter said...

Where do I go to sign up for this "patriarchy" deal?

RecChief said...

sounds like the wikipedia version of a Stalinist 5 year plan