[Linux-aus] Special support for women

(:-P (tongue in cheek) Apparently we need special programmes to address an imbalance between the sexes; in politics, employment, management and elsewhere, this is widely accepted as appropriate. Linux Australia is not immune to this; we give opportunities and support to females. This puts an elephant in the corner: women gain opportunities at the expense of more capable (or more needy) men. This undermines their credibility; it raises reasonable doubts about their competence. Are they there from merit or merely to make up the numbers? Maggie Thatcher was never PM to improve numbers; she was destined to be leader of UK; she earned the role. Affirmative action needed no part in her glory. She was the best candidate. Yet I think she must have struggled to overcome doubt. (Arguably she was better because of the doubt, but that's for another day.) I say merit is blind to sex; it shines from inner strength. I say special programmes damage the interests they purport to serve. How can someone be taken seriously if there was obligation to give a women the place? We do them naught but disservice by gifting favours that are intrinsically merited. We do naught but disservice by filling seats with lesser competence. We see ourselves as a meritocracy; for sake of honesty and transparency, our special programmes for women should candidly admit patronage of incompetence over political correctness. Let's cancel our "women in IT" programmes and replace them with programmes that reward "incompetent women in IT," or at least to widen eligibility to include hamsters and fish. That way, competent women, of which we have plenty, can leave no doubt that they won prestige merely on shining ability. Chew, swallow, digest.