If you can look past the skimpy pictures there is an interesting message in there:
> Some of the Western women were nice. Some not. Compared to China the female Maker scene in the West seems incredibly conservative and hostile to women who don't conform to the blue hair and tattoos, zero-risk-non-conformist look:-) Eccentric clothing and body-modification is ok- but only if it's the same kind they have. Because if we look sexy the evil men will never take us seriously
Ouch.. This dynamic exists in pretty much every group, but some are better than others to acknowledge it, the militant "[Insert your group here] Issues" and PC crowd not so much.
It was so refreshing to see this. Even though I feel like the attitude she describes is crazy (and very prevalent), sometimes the fact that it's so prevalent and never really discussed makes me feel like I'm crazy; like the world has decided this is the way it is and anyone who doesn't disagree is sexist. But in reality, it's just a loud minority that appears to be bullying people who don't buy into their ideals.
Yeah, there's an entire cottage industry devoted to demonizing majority sexuality--supported least of all by folks in that same majority.
Buncha prudes. It's kind of like how interesting projects like programmable vibrators and Three.js dildo design tools are quietly shuffled off the front page, but unhealthy uninclusive topics like who got harassed out of a conference are given top billing.
Your comment made me go into a meta loop. Is it ok for you to say that we should look past the skimpy photos, or is it exactly what OP is fighting against?
That's not the only interesting message in there with the pictures:
> This shot was needed after my last project which no one believed I made. Because when they put your boobs in they suck out your brains. Everyones knows that's how it works:-) If it's still a problem I'll just have to wear a GoPro for the whole process LOL
Seems like the 'evil men' indeed did not initially take her seriously. Non conformist look is not zero risk unfortunately
She can dress however she wants, of course. But consider a couple of things not about her, but about us:
1) What if she was not a 'hot', young woman and did the same thing? Overweight? Middle-aged? A guy? Would this project be on the front page of HN and otherwise getting so much attention?
2) Imagine your 14-year-old daughter or little sister, who is interested in tech, sees this. What will she think her success depends on? What will she think society (and her future peers at HN) values in her, her legs or her mind? What prospects will she see to be a hacker and escape being pigeon-holed as a sex object in a community and in offices full of young men?
3) What's the top-rated comment on this HN thread discussing, her project or her appearance? (As of this moment, the latter.)
> who is interested in tech, sees this. What will she think her success depends on?
Is this success though? I think this is being overanalyzed. Here an attractive woman who also like DIY stuff is showing up how she made her skirt, but I think that is far from "success" (also which definition of success?).
Some people would look at her body and others would look at what she did. If my hypothetical daughter would have those doubts I would tell her to focus on what this woman did instead on how she look.
>What prospects will she see to be a hacker and escape being pigeon-holed as a sex object in a community and in offices full of young men?
Well that's this young woman problem (although I suspect she likes the attention). For other women in tech, I think they can follow other path and still get recognition (Who doesn't love Lady Ada creations?)
"This shot was needed after my last project which no one believed I made. Because when they put your boobs in they suck out your brains. Everyones knows that's how it works:-) If it's still a problem I'll just have to wear a GoPro for the whole process LOL"
This was originally posted on reddit.com/r/DIY this morning with the mod and creator working together to limit the number of shitty comments. If you want to talk about the skirt/electronics with the actual maker the post is here: https://www.reddit.com/r/DIY/comments/3c9l2m/my_diy_underlit...
I would never have guessed this needed so much tinkering and electronics. It's not immediately clear because all the pics show the same light, but the color is controlled using an app and it has (apparently) 3-5h battery life.
> Not only can our skirts match colors, they can chance in sync or strobe in complex patters across a group.
The lighting is a bit off putting standalone. It feels like it really needs to be paired with some type of upper body/necklace/arms effect to balance it out.
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[ 0.15 ms ] story [ 76.6 ms ] threadcool project though :D
> Some of the Western women were nice. Some not. Compared to China the female Maker scene in the West seems incredibly conservative and hostile to women who don't conform to the blue hair and tattoos, zero-risk-non-conformist look:-) Eccentric clothing and body-modification is ok- but only if it's the same kind they have. Because if we look sexy the evil men will never take us seriously
Buncha prudes. It's kind of like how interesting projects like programmable vibrators and Three.js dildo design tools are quietly shuffled off the front page, but unhealthy uninclusive topics like who got harassed out of a conference are given top billing.
> This shot was needed after my last project which no one believed I made. Because when they put your boobs in they suck out your brains. Everyones knows that's how it works:-) If it's still a problem I'll just have to wear a GoPro for the whole process LOL
Seems like the 'evil men' indeed did not initially take her seriously. Non conformist look is not zero risk unfortunately
1) What if she was not a 'hot', young woman and did the same thing? Overweight? Middle-aged? A guy? Would this project be on the front page of HN and otherwise getting so much attention?
2) Imagine your 14-year-old daughter or little sister, who is interested in tech, sees this. What will she think her success depends on? What will she think society (and her future peers at HN) values in her, her legs or her mind? What prospects will she see to be a hacker and escape being pigeon-holed as a sex object in a community and in offices full of young men?
3) What's the top-rated comment on this HN thread discussing, her project or her appearance? (As of this moment, the latter.)
Is this success though? I think this is being overanalyzed. Here an attractive woman who also like DIY stuff is showing up how she made her skirt, but I think that is far from "success" (also which definition of success?).
Some people would look at her body and others would look at what she did. If my hypothetical daughter would have those doubts I would tell her to focus on what this woman did instead on how she look.
>What prospects will she see to be a hacker and escape being pigeon-holed as a sex object in a community and in offices full of young men?
Well that's this young woman problem (although I suspect she likes the attention). For other women in tech, I think they can follow other path and still get recognition (Who doesn't love Lady Ada creations?)
Well, if she doesn't get freakishly large breast implants, I think she'll be OK.
http://imgur.com/a/ky02J
"This shot was needed after my last project which no one believed I made. Because when they put your boobs in they suck out your brains. Everyones knows that's how it works:-) If it's still a problem I'll just have to wear a GoPro for the whole process LOL"
Direct link: http://pastebin.com/V3474kYs
> Not only can our skirts match colors, they can chance in sync or strobe in complex patters across a group.
That's awesome! Neat trick.
No, you really don't.