Women at Atheist/Skeptic Events - Uncomfortable?

[Coito ergo sum]

Just responding to you in kind, Gallstones. How do you think it makes you look when you engage in this juvenile shit?

Like I'm having fun?

It is another special skill to be snarky. Probably learned rather than inherent.
I think I'm better at it than you. And you can't stop yourself from getting upset about it and saying so.

Upset? No. As I said, just responding in kind, Gallstones. But, do continue to be overly emotional about this - bring on the snark! I hardly deserve your responses, anyway, since I'm just clueless and insincere, right?

That wasn't me who said that. I wouldn't know if you are clueless or insensitive insincere for reals.

I thought you said you believed me when I said I was not upset? Did you lie?

No. What are you on about? I didn't call you upset, after taking your word for not being. If lying is something you object to, you sure do it enough. FFS.

I am an emotional person. Fact.

I agree - overly so.

I shall be as I am, at the time that I am what I am.

Sure - overly so.

I am pleased to know that you are pleased to allow me to be that, because--admit it--there is nothing you can do about it.

There is nothing I care to do about it.

I don't deserve some of your responses either.
You have been mean.

I felt the same way about your posts - the not deserving your shit, and the fact that you were mean. As I said, I responded in kind.

[Coito ergo sum]

And no, I won't stop amusing myself. Stop throwing me bones if you don't like it

.I'm as entitled to amuse myself too. What? You think because you're a girl I shouldn't respond?

• 

Ohmyfuckinggod.

Why did you delete the emoticon: ?

[Gallstones]

And no, I won't stop amusing myself. Stop throwing me bones if you don't like it

.I'm as entitled to amuse myself too. What? You think because you're a girl I shouldn't respond?

• 

Ohmyfuckinggod.

Why did you delete the emoticon: ?

Why did you delete mine?

And you rearranged my 's taking them all out of context.

[Gallstones]

See this is what happens when men and women get together. All kinds of shit and too little business.

[Gallstones]

You don't like that I am an exception.
You don't like my idea about childcare.
You don't like the way in which I make my on topic comments.

You are making this discussion a dead end.

[Ronja]

What conditions might prevent women from attending atheist/skeptic/similar blah blah blah events?
What conditions might be a cultural status quo that the women accept as their duty?

Their children.
Because it is still the expected norm that the women will be primary in caring for their children. The men are allowed to be unfettered from doing the bulk of the childcare.

How many children do you see at these events?
Do the event organizers ever provide child care on premises so more women can attend?

Now we are getting somewhere substantial regarding what could be done to make it easier for women (and in Finland, also for a steady growing number of homemaker men whose kids are too young to be left alone for a couple of hours in the evening). Inspired by this thread I have been thinking of how our local freethinker chapter could utilize e.g. the library's story or games groups for school-age kids, while their parents are at our meet. There is a library just across the street from the pub where our weekly meetings are held...

For the toddlers and preschoolers it would likely need to be something different, though. Some more thinking required. If anyone has ideas or experiences, please do share!

[Gallstones]

I feel I am in a conundrum with this topic. My only perspective is my own and I can only speak from my own experience and Coito keeps rejecting my ideas as not applicable to his OP.

From my own experience, there were many events, many activities I very much wanted to do but could not when my son was very young because I could not get childcare and his father would not help. So, I had to drop out of my desired lifestyle for those years.

[Coito ergo sum]

What conditions might prevent women from attending atheist/skeptic/similar blah blah blah events?
What conditions might be a cultural status quo that the women accept as their duty?

Their children.
Because it is still the expected norm that the women will be primary in caring for their children. The men are allowed to be unfettered from doing the bulk of the childcare.

How many children do you see at these events?
Do the event organizers ever provide child care on premises so more women can attend?

Now we are getting somewhere substantial regarding what could be done to make it easier for women (and in Finland, also for a steady growing number of homemaker men whose kids are too young to be left alone for a couple of hours in the evening). Inspired by this thread I have been thinking of how our local freethinker chapter could utilize e.g. the library's story or games groups for school-age kids, while their parents are at our meet. There is a library just across the street from the pub where our weekly meetings are held...

For the toddlers and preschoolers it would likely need to be something different, though. Some more thinking required. If anyone has ideas or experiences, please do share!

I think that American Atheists, for example, could hire a day care provider for the weekend, so that parents could bring their kids to the hotel to stay where the convention is located, and during the day when the speeches and presentations are going on, the kids can go to a room where they can play with the other kids, be watched, and be within reach of the parents. The cost would probably be high, though, especially for insurance. But, it might be something to look into.

I wonder how many more women would show, if that service was offered.

[Coito ergo sum]

I feel I am in a conundrum with this topic. My only perspective is my own and I can only speak from my own experience and Coito keeps rejecting my ideas as not applicable to his OP.

Stop lying. I haven't rejected your idea as inapplicable to the OP. For example, I specifically stated that your idea about the child care was, in fact, applicable to the OP in that it indicated a reason other than discomfort that women were not showing up to these events. It certainly is applicable.

I didn't "reject" it. I questioned it, of course, because (a) it was the first time I heard anyone suggest that as a reason women don't make it to atheist events, and (b) I am not sure or immediately persuaded that it is, in fact, a reason a substantial number of women don't make to these events. But, it sure as heck might be - and I said that.

From my own experience, there were many events, many activities I very much wanted to do but could not when my son was very young because I could not get childcare and his father would not help. So, I had to drop out of my desired lifestyle for those years.

O.k.

[Coito ergo sum]

You don't like that I am an exception.

I never said that, so you must be making it up. I like exceptions just fine. I prefer exceptions, actually.

You don't like my idea about childcare.

I never said that, so you must be making it up. Try to learn to make a distinction between someone talking about your idea, and perhaps questioning it, with "not liking" it. I like it fine. I think that one thing that can for sure be said for it is that it couldn't hurt, and that including daycare facilities could very well make some folks, men and women, who might find it too much of a pain in the ass to get there given their child rearing situation, to go to the event. I think it's a fine idea actually.

The part that I questioned was whether or not it really is a common reason that women don't get to these events, what with the fact that women do go to many other events even though they have children.

You don't like the way in which I make my on topic comments.

The only thing I don't like is when you personally attack me, or make snarky little comments designed to belittle me.

[Coito ergo sum]

And no, I won't stop amusing myself. Stop throwing me bones if you don't like it

.I'm as entitled to amuse myself too. What? You think because you're a girl I shouldn't respond?

• 

Ohmyfuckinggod.

Why did you delete the emoticon: ?

Why did you delete mine?

And you rearranged my 's taking them all out of context.

I just responded point by point. Trust me - I got the snarkiness loud and clear.

[Ronja]

Do the event organizers ever provide child care on premises so more women can attend?

Not that I've seen. That may well be a good suggestion...

I will point out that this suggestion does - when applied to the OP - become "Skepchick is wrong about women not attending because they are made to feel uncomfortable - the reality is, if there was child care available, the numbers would be closer to equal because women with children who wish they could attend would be able to attend."

About the bolded part: Coito are you serious in drawing that conclusion, or are you being sarcastic towards Gallstones? I really, seriously cannot tell from how this is written.

[Gallstones]

I doubt that there is one reason why women don't attend these events in larger numbers.
I expect there would be many factors and that some men would share in those factors, but because there is already a large enough attendance by men the factors that might prevent some men from attending aren't considered.

I also don't think Skepchick is "wrong", as I am confident that some women probably don't attend because they don't feel comfortable being a minority. But her's is but one factor of many. Therefore she is "right". It would be very difficult to fix that and maybe if other factors were addressed to satisfaction, Skepchicks problem need not be addressed at all.

Maybe some women don't attend because they already have lives filled with interesting activities and are just not interested?
That would be another example of a factor that likely has no fix.

[Gallstones]

Since I have never been to one, what happens at these events?
What is talked about?

They might simply be boring.

What is the need for the numbers to be equal? What is gained that is now missing--other than more vaginas in chairs?

[Gallstones]

How many women are members of this site and currently active?

Whatever that number is, the number of those who have participated in this thread is only a fraction, why is that?