Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 (Tek) 9/12/84; site tektronix.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxj!ihnp4!zehntel!tektronix!moiram
From: moiram@tektronix.UUCP (Moira Mallison )
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Re: Association for Women in Computing
Message-ID: <4260@tektronix.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 26-Nov-84 12:53:45 EST
Article-I.D.: tektroni.4260
Posted: Mon Nov 26 12:53:45 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 28-Nov-84 03:11:37 EST
References: <1339@ihuxq.UUCP> <10400018@acf4.UUCP>
Reply-To: moiram@tektronix.UUCP (Moira Mallison )
Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR
Lines: 33
Summary: 

>AWC is creating this situation from scratch.  Any problems
>that might have been resolved in the general public (some group that
>doesn't (officially or unofficially) cater to one sex or the other) by
>the potential members of AWC is being removed from the general public
>in a "our interests are not your interests" kind of Mexican standoff.

OK, I've been sitting here for about a month now reading garbage like this,
and the temperature has been rising, but I've kept it under control....
until now.

I posted the request for information (in the form of experiences with 
AWC) which got this discussion started.  I received two replies, both
asking for the addresses I have.  I heard NOTHING about what this organi-
zation really does.  So how can you folks have an intelligent discussion
about whether or not an organization has a right to exist, or is discrimina-
tory, or whatever, based on so little information.

I recently read "Barriers to Equality in Academia: Women in Computer Science
at MIT",  a report prepared by female graduate students and research staff
in the Laboratory for Computer Science and the Artificial Intelligence 
Laboratory at MIT (thanks to Joy Hoppe for the pointer).   While the report
is specific to MIT, it can be generalized (in my experience) to include not
only other academic situations, but industrial situations.  If an 
organization, such as AWC, exists to support women in combatting not only
the overt discrimination, but the pervasive subtle discrimination, then
it not only is appropriate, but it is necessary.

(Note that I'm not saying this is what AWC is about.  I STILL don't know.
Any followup from the folks I gave the addresses to?  There isn't a local
chapter here in Portland).

Moira Mallison
tektronix!moiram