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From: bloch%thor@ucsd.EDU (Steve Bloch)
Newsgroups: soc.feminism
Subject: Re: AA Urban Legends?
Message-ID: <14786@sdcc6.ucsd.edu>
Date: 7 Dec 90 19:49:21 GMT
References: <9011201819.AA23507@mks.mks.com- <1990Nov30.042047.14849@informix.com>
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uunet!infmx!robert@ncar.ucar.EDU (robert coleman), discussing OCA's
disputed hiring policy, lists a number of possible explanations for
the observed problem, with various solutions for them, none of which
involves gender-preference in hiring.  Then:

>	Actually, I can't even imagine what situation the chosen
>solution *would* be the correct solution for.

If you want, I'll give one, more plausible than some of yours and less
plausible than others.  To wit: the observed gender imbalance is due
to a general bias (whether in hiring, promotion, or working relations)
among the current faculty, not localized to one or a few members, but
stronger among male than among female faculty.

If this were the problem, then curing the symptom WOULD be reasonably
likely to cure the disease, as more female faculty were brought in,
their presence would tend to counteract the general bias (assuming, as
seems reasonable, that lacking other information a female job
applicant is less likely to be misogynistic than a male one).

I don't seriously dispute the other diagnoses and prescriptions Robert
gives, I just wanted to complete the list with one that doesn't
support his argument.  However, one must ask: during the years that an
"informal" system was in place at OCA, how many of Robert's solutions
were tried and found unsuccessful?

--
"The above opinions are my own -- but that's just MY opinion."
Stephen Bloch
bloch@cs.ucsd.edu