[Techtalk] [IndiChix] Poster Competition

[स्वक्ष]

Hi,

On 6/7/13, Satabdi Das <satabdidas at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi Svaksha,
>
> I have forwarded your email to the mailing list of WFS-INDIA

Thanks.

> wfs-india at lists.openhatch.org. We are having a discussion there on this and
> it would be great if you join that mailing list and participate in it.

I just read the archives (of wfs-india) and TBH, as a woman, I would
never want to speak for ALL-the-women or claim to be a "feminist", so
when men do that ... *sigh* ..I find it tiresome to deal with
Mansplaining (https://duckduckgo.com/?q=Mansplaining&t=canonical).

Instead, I'll share with you what I have learned from observing female peers :

* If you are a women's group (running one or building one), you want
men as allies, not as decision makers: Read, if men are going to be
telling you "what to do/how to think/etc.." in a women's group, its
just as bad as the patriarchy they claim to protect you from.

* Supporting "women" means, not intruding in their space or telling
them how to think/ opine, allowing them to fail and being there to
break that fall are crucial. When you observe babies learning to walk,
they'd fall on the first try, but they'd still learn to walk ON THEIR
OWN, in time.

* Stepping back is crucial: Men (as allies), need to be open to
feedback from anyone really but especially from women. Stepping-back
when women opine why something makes them uncomfortable, or while she
requests a change is the hallmark of receptive listening. Fwiw, this
gyan was, surprisingly, given to me by two male FOSS friends and I've
heard and experienced its echo with multiple male supporters who are
not afraid of giving women control to run their own groups. I am still
learning to be discerning with the above.

Hope that helps you grow your own wings :) Goodluck !
-- 
svaksha ॥ http://svaksha.com ॥