[diversity] [Ext] Re: Finalizing (draft) charter of the Diversity TF by 2nd October

Malcolm Hutty wrote:

[...]

> >> May I ask why the TF's goal should not be an actual increase in
> >> diversity and instead should just be the removal of (some) barriers?
> >> How can we know whether the TF's work addresses the right barriers if
> >> the goal is defined by the work being done and not the outcome of the
> >> work?
> >
> > I agree.
> >
> > The goal should not be to have a RIPE community that could in theory
> > be diverse, but rather to have a RIPE community that *is* diverse.
>
> There may be factors in society at large that mean fewer women want to
> come to a RIPE meeting. We can address some of those, by being a more
> welcoming place, and by actively showing that we are. But we can't fix
> everything: it's not given to us in this TF to persuade more women to
> become network engineers in the first place, or to study STEM topics.

The lack of research into why diversity is so low is indeed disappointing. It 
could be that gender diversity is so low because the companies and 
universities hiring the people RIPE needs to attract also have problem hiring 
women. But gender is just one diversity dimension. If participation in RIPE is 
lower than we'd expect based on wider society, supply is unlikely to be the 
problem. Or at least not the only problem.

A structured research programme would be very helpful in understanding the 
issues and so allow the TF and wider community to develop suitable approaches.

> I think "fixing RIPE" is ambitious enough. Fixing society, well that's a 
> rabbit
> hole beyond the scope of this TF.

This is the other part of where research would help. It would help identify 
the appropriate scope for goal setting.

Kind regards,

Leo
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