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infofeminism
infofeminism is a type of feminism that places a greater emphasis upon the role of information, knowledge and speech in the lives of the female gender; it may also assert or advocate both a greater role and presence of females in the information society.
Language and stereotypes[edit]
Infofeminism views the current state of information society as being both male-dominated and male-biased, particularly in the area of the Internet and dependent applications. Assumptions abound that there are "no women on the Internet" and that most people who spend an inordinate amount of time and activity on the Internet (particularly gamers, forum posters, etc.) are younger males who live in their mothers' basements and live off their mothers' incomes in older age. Often, in such arenas of communication on the Internet, the "default" assumption is that the neighboring participant in the same activity is also a male.
Disparaging terms[edit]
Particular attention is given to the issue of dialogue on the Internet, which reflect an even more pervasively male-biased and female-dismissive attitude, even if the dialogue is being directed at someone who presents oneself or is generally viewed as a male user and communicator. For instance, the verbal disparaging of one who is seemingly weak as a "pussy" (a colloquial English language term for a vagina); the disparaging of one who excessively demands attention as a "bitch" or as being in the act of "bitching"; the disparaging of one who "sells out" for some form of payment, without any reservations of self-respect, as a "whore" (i.e., "attention whore", "Microsoft whore", "Myspace whore").
Technology[edit]
Infofeminism, from a technological point of view, would seek for both the empowerment of female computer and computer network users in currently male-dominated and male-driven areas of the computer-using populace and the entrenching of the same users within explicitly female-geared areas of the Internet.
Media[edit]
In addition, infofeminism also encourages a proliferation of media and documentation that is geared to female user populations.
