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Hacker News is about as receptive of this topic as a porcupine is of balloons. “Stay away stay away stay away!”

Mz 14y ago
Thank you for replying. Yes, I am aware of the trend. I have been a member for around three years. But I wonder why that is. There is a fair amount of discussion of things like women in tech and sexual harassment in the work place. I wonder why these types of posts seem to put such a chill in the air and get a reaction of "I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole..." even though other related topics generate quite a bit of serious, mostly respectful discussion.
- KuraFire 14y ago
  People on HN are there to talk about tech, and they prefer it to happen within the confines of what is currently the majority demographic: young male tech person who’s every-day life doesn’t involve constant harassment. Talking about the subject of sexism in tech means the members of the majority demographic have to start acknowledging their own privileges and mistakes (made in the past), two things they’d rather avoid altogether. Understandable, but unhelpful. There are lots of great folks on HN, and lots of women, too. However, their voices often get drowned out by the other group. I know of many female developers / engineers who have abandoned HN because the systemic misogyny became too unbearable to be confronted with on a daily basis.
  - Mz 14y ago
    Again, thank you for replying and have an upvote, but I respectfully disagree. My impression is that it scares people in a way that makes them afraid to talk about it. I am not afraid of difficult subjects of this sort but many people are, and usually with very good reason. You and another commenter have already come out gunning for people here when the only "crime" may be discomfort or fear of saying the wrong thing on a very loaded topic. God forbid they give you and others actual ammo against them by opening their mouths.
    - KuraFire 14y ago
      This explanation operates on the assumption that all of these people lack the capacity to ask why, or ask for an elaboration or clearer explanation. It assumes that every member here that avoids these conversations Must! At all times! Assert! Their! Knowledge! on the issue and speak out as if they’re experts. There really is no discomfort in asking someone to elaborate on a complicated subject, except a self-imposed reputation you think you might need to uphold. My experience from seeing HN threads discuss this topic shows anything but a fear that people have to discuss it; I'm sure the fearful ones are the ones not speaking out either way, which makes the size of that group really hard to determine, but the ones that do speak up seem anything but fearful. There are two ways of learning: investigate resources for yourself, and asking "why". Maybe it's time for HN to try either of the two more often?
      - Mz 14y ago
        I am asking "why" and I am a member here. I said that quite clearly. I really don't see where you are getting your first paragraph. I don't really understand this reply at all. Back to working on my blog post. Later.
        KuraFire 14y ago
        Well, and I gave you my explanation of why as an answer, which you then dismissed and provided your own explanation instead. Since you were the one wondering why, I’m now left to wonder what made you ask the question in the first place.

Mz 14y ago

Thank you for replying. Yes, I am aware of the trend. I have been a member for around three years. But I wonder why that is. There is a fair amount of discussion of things like women in tech and sexual harassment in the work place. I wonder why these types of posts seem to put such a chill in the air and get a reaction of "I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole..." even though other related topics generate quite a bit of serious, mostly respectful discussion.

KuraFire 14y ago
People on HN are there to talk about tech, and they prefer it to happen within the confines of what is currently the majority demographic: young male tech person who’s every-day life doesn’t involve constant harassment. Talking about the subject of sexism in tech means the members of the majority demographic have to start acknowledging their own privileges and mistakes (made in the past), two things they’d rather avoid altogether. Understandable, but unhelpful. There are lots of great folks on HN, and lots of women, too. However, their voices often get drowned out by the other group. I know of many female developers / engineers who have abandoned HN because the systemic misogyny became too unbearable to be confronted with on a daily basis.
- Mz 14y ago
  Again, thank you for replying and have an upvote, but I respectfully disagree. My impression is that it scares people in a way that makes them afraid to talk about it. I am not afraid of difficult subjects of this sort but many people are, and usually with very good reason. You and another commenter have already come out gunning for people here when the only "crime" may be discomfort or fear of saying the wrong thing on a very loaded topic. God forbid they give you and others actual ammo against them by opening their mouths.
  - KuraFire 14y ago
    This explanation operates on the assumption that all of these people lack the capacity to ask why, or ask for an elaboration or clearer explanation. It assumes that every member here that avoids these conversations Must! At all times! Assert! Their! Knowledge! on the issue and speak out as if they’re experts. There really is no discomfort in asking someone to elaborate on a complicated subject, except a self-imposed reputation you think you might need to uphold. My experience from seeing HN threads discuss this topic shows anything but a fear that people have to discuss it; I'm sure the fearful ones are the ones not speaking out either way, which makes the size of that group really hard to determine, but the ones that do speak up seem anything but fearful. There are two ways of learning: investigate resources for yourself, and asking "why". Maybe it's time for HN to try either of the two more often?
    - Mz 14y ago
      I am asking "why" and I am a member here. I said that quite clearly. I really don't see where you are getting your first paragraph. I don't really understand this reply at all. Back to working on my blog post. Later.
      - KuraFire 14y ago
        Well, and I gave you my explanation of why as an answer, which you then dismissed and provided your own explanation instead. Since you were the one wondering why, I’m now left to wonder what made you ask the question in the first place.