[Molten]

Originally Posted by Jaine Perotti

The question implies that having a female-exclusive team is equivalent to having a male-exclusive team. Let me ask you this question -- do you think that a team which only includes ethnic minorities is just as discriminatory as a whites-only team?

I sure hope that the answer is no -- as there is a clear difference between starting a team to give a leg-up to underrepresented minority groups, versus starting a team which allows only white students (who already enjoy a great deal of cultural advantage within STEM fields).

As long this is the opinion of the majority, those that believe in equality will have failed. To truly support equality you must try to remove the differences that are already there, not instigate new ones to balance the problem. Yes, you can allow for about the same opportunity by doing this but in the end everyone is just going to be prejudiced against in different ways. I firmly believe in equality in its purest form. If you want to make things "fair" eliminate the cultural advantages given to the white males. Teach your little girl to use a power drill and other tools. The only way we'll ever have a truly equal situation is if we start giving our girls lego's and our boys dolls. Treat them the same, and in their eyes they will be. Anything less isn't true equality at all and to some extent abandonment of the original goal.

I know its hard to have a co-ed scenario where the girls and boys have equal treatments. I'd suggest rather then separating the two completely, to find a way to work together. The real world has made it work, why can't we? In the business world, a person who makes sexist/racist comments is fired. Why shouldn't we be similar? It could be immediate removal from the team depending on the nature, but at the very least sent home from the meeting or reassigned to a less favorable task. A year working on shirt designs and PR would certainly make the guys think twice before suggesting a girl be better suited there.

In short, treat the problem not the symptoms. Otherwise the problem will never be solved.

Jason