Blogosphere or blokeosphere?

[T_i_B]

Interesting article, but the author should know that LabourList is a bad example of anything on the Blogosphere other then an example of what a bunch of pillocks New Labour are.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/mar/10/women-blogging

Traditional male-dominated institutions are reproducing their inequalities in cyberspace, and women are being pushed to the political sidelines (check out the FT's debate online or MPs' websites if you don't believe me). Cif is a good exception to the rule, but I still wonder how my posts would be received if I traded in my profile photo for one of man.

Why does women's exclusion from the political blogosphere matter? First, online communities are now at the forefront of shaping political debate, policy and social norms. If women are excluded from these forums, it will be just as hard to win measures on gender equality as if they were barred from the House of Commons. As Cath Elliot has said, "We owe it to those who fought for women's suffrage to make the most of the internet."

It's hard to stay true to yourself online. When editing LabourList, I felt the need to turn up the aggression, to be more cutting than I would like to be and less willing to compromise. Online, I felt a similar pressure that Thatcher may have felt in the Commons – the need to compensate for my femininity in a world dominated by aggressive masculinity.

But changing the content for one day is not enough. If women don't keep up a lively presence online, the "blokeosphere" will rule. Ultimately, the internet is what we make it. This poses a challenge to mainstream political blogs – who have a responsibility to make space for female voices – and to women, who have a duty to fill them.