Do we have any idea of the male/female demographic at DU? I realize that

[CTyankee]

posters self-select to identify their sex, but I was wondering if there was a way of gauging it...

I do remember the early days of the Internet when women who identified themselves as female were hounded mercilessly and remember choosing a sex neutral name (this was before DU) to avoid the harassment I saw what other women endured. It was truly a jungle in those days (maybe still, some places).

So I am glad we self select on this. But I am interested in this phenomenon on the Internet and learning more about it...and I'm working on a little theory about misogyny on the Internet...

[Smarmie Doofus]

1. I've wondered about this also.

When the DU profiles included sex it was easy to see that the vast majority of male DUers had identifiably male screen id's.

It seems to me for females it was about 50/50.

[CTyankee]

2. I was wondering if a progressive Democratic website might have a much LARGER percentage

of women posting, similar to their voting patterns, compared to men. That would make sense to me. But then voting habits and Internet participation are two different activities...

[cinnabonbon]

3. I too

used to choose gender neutral names in order to avoid the backlash. I still see women being harassed for daring to show that they're female on the internet. (Though I see this mostly in fandom, where I used to spend much of my time)

[CTyankee]

4. It seems to me that progressive women, seeing that there is a place (such as HoF here at DU)

at a site where they feel comfortable, would attract in other similarly inclined women to the website. I know I had trepidation when I first ventured into DU back in the fall of 2004, which is why I selected a sex neutral user name. I don't think I quite trusted DU on that score at the time (for good reason, given the fact that I had already been burned).

[notadmblnd]

5. Really? It never occured to me that if I didn't select a gender neutral name I would be harassed,

tormented or picked on because of being female. Maybe it's because of where I am in my own head at this point in my life but I've never felt the need to have the approval of anonymous people on the internet

After thinking about it, it's probably the major reason that I don't fit into any of the clicks here.

[CTyankee]

6. It's not an "approval" thing. It's more about assumptions and out and out bullying

because of anonymity (there's no penalty for being an out and out shithead if they don't know who you are).

I don't use the Ignore function because I feel comfortable in my ability to ignore on my own. That doesn't make me special and I don't feel superior. For one thing I am too damn old to care what people think. At a certain age you just don't care that much. Still, that doesn't override my feelings for other people. There are things I leave unsaid out of consideration...call me crazy...

No, approval has nothing to do with it as far as I am concerned.

[cinnabonbon]

7. It's more about

avoiding death threats, rape threats, being belittled and stalked in rl, because that's what I've seen happen at the places of the internet where I usually frequent.

It's not about approval. If it were, I wouldn't say anything feminist-like at all.

[seabeyond]

14. i was clueless also. didnt even consider. was not a part of my world. and today, i do not care.

i am not bothered taking it on.

not everyone is me, either.

[Laelth]

8. I have no answer for you, obviously.

I am, however, interested in the theory upon which you are working. Please share when you feel the time is right.

-Laelth

[CTyankee]

9. well, I'm no academic or sociologist...it's just an embryonic thought process I am

turning over in my mind. I want to get more information first...it's about misogyny and DU but I don't want to make flying leaps of assumptions without thinking it through a bit more...

[Laelth]

10. Fair enough.

I appreciate the wisdom of your cautious approach.

-Laelth

[ConcernedCanuk]

11. Well, the # of cat threads might be a clue . . .

.
.
.





CC

[seabeyond]

15. kinda like stereotyping arent you? the one cat thread person i know is man. i am woman,

am not into cats.

ya think?

[ConcernedCanuk]

16. lighten up seabeyond

.
.
.

'twas just my twisted Canuck sense of humor

sheesh!

CC

[CTyankee]

19. And how many times are feminists accused of "not having a sense of humor"?

I hate stereotypes, but you really stepped into THAT one!

[BainsBane]

12. Someone did a poll in GD

That showed 60% male respondents.

[In_The_Wind]

17. Do you remember when that poll was posted ?

[Agschmid]

20. It was me.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024202705

[In_The_Wind]

22. I couldn't find it in my post.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024250683

[Tuesday Afternoon]

13. I would think the Admin might have access to that information. Back when polls were

were anonymus (DU2) The Admin would do surveys and, gather demographic information. IIRC, I think DU, at the time of the last survey was Mature (median age in 40-50's)White Male with Mature White Female following closely.

I don't think it has changed much since the inception of DU3 but, I could be wrong about all this. My memory is not what it used to be.

[BainsBane]

18. That thread on men was fun while it lasted

It had the potential for so many good digs. I'm almost sorry to see it gone.

[Agschmid]

21. Here...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024202705