Are Our Ladies Treated Differently?

[PixelRabbit]

Ok I know this has the potential to go nowhere good but I'm very curious because I've seen it mentioned twice now.

Are the women here treated differently than the men? Handled with kit gloves? Treated nicer? Given more leeway? Held to a lower standard?

I've participated in male dominated forums and past times and I've definitely seen women be treated that way but I don't see it here, am I just not seeing it?

 

[tirediron]

Other than that which is socially appropriate, I'm not aware of any difference; certainly I don't think that gender plays any difference in the critique one receives or how one's work is perceived.

 

[PixelRabbit]

That's pretty much spot on for how I see it also John, sure there is some girl/boy banter now and again but I don't see people flocking to threads we make and overflowing it with attention or help above and beyond the norm.

 

[sm4him]

I haven't really noticed a difference based on whether it's a male or female; I think what differences do sometimes crop up in how people are treated are more about attitude than gender. Those who come in with arrogant attitudes tend to get virtually slapped into the middle of last week (not next week, LAST week--but if I'm gonna slap someone that hard, I don't really wanna SEE 'em again in a week!). Those who seem to want drama, tend to get drama. Those who just like to debate and argue, get a lot of debates and arguments.

Those like Pixel and I, who are just sweet and lovable...well... :lmao:

 

[runnah]

I hadn't noticed it.

Do I treat woman differently on here? Not really except for harmless flirting and anti-canadian jokes.

 

[The_Traveler]

yes

 

[amolitor]

I think that there is a small population of men who treat a small population of women with exceptional gentleness. Is this merely "hey, they're my friends" or is it creepy "I like to pretend she'll sleep with me if I am nice to her"? I dunno. Sometimes it feels like one thing, then another.

It jumps out at me, occasionally. Less so, lately, perhaps as some of the more obnoxious negative critique -- against which the radically different gentle critique stands out -- has been quashed.

 

[The_Traveler]

Other than that which is socially appropriate, I'm not aware of any difference; certainly I don't think that gender plays any difference in the critique one receives or how one's work is perceived.

this sentence is a contradiction in that 'other than socially appropriate' implies that there should be a difference in how females are treated and the second half says there is no differnece.

I agree with Andy.

 

[PixelRabbit]

Interesting so far!
Lew, more than just a yes? We started almost this very conversation on skype specifically about how some people were responding to my work and I asked for more then and again now will you expand on your thoughts this time around?

 

[runnah]

I think that there is a small population of men who treat a small population of women with exceptional gentleness. Is this merely "hey, they're my friends" or is it creepy "I like to pretend she'll sleep with me if I am nice to her"?

Sleeping with people aside I think the "be nicer to your friends" thing is going to be hard to change regardless of the format.

 

[kathyt]

No. I don't think so.

 

[Designer]

I'm a push-over when some newbie girl posts here asking for help.

I sometimes offer help to men if I know the answer and if I feel like it.

 

[amolitor]

Another, more specific, way to ponder it.

There are quite a few people on this forum who are pretty restrictive in what they like. They want specific lights to appear in specific places. They want the white balance to be so, and so, and thus. And so on. Garnering positive critique on TPF is often a matter of hitting the proper technical notes.

This means that artistic efforts that defy these technical standards, for instance abstracts, or semi-abstracts (not to QUITE name names, but close, eh?) are often looked at askance by the, um, general population. Lacking technical measures by which to offer critique, many of the more prolific posters are a bit stumped by abstracts, especially, but also by any effort to make anything that doesn't look like Standard Wedding Photograph #1, #2, or #3.

It my overall sense that there are certain things which will tend to make this population of technically oriented people respond positively to these pictures:

- bright colors
- high contrast
- the apparent use of macro lenses
- being female, especially a flirty female

and certain things that make this population less likely to respond well to these pictures:

- unsharpness
- muted colors
- aggressive use of HDR
- being runnah

 

[tirediron]

Other than that which is socially appropriate, I'm not aware of any difference; certainly I don't think that gender plays any difference in the critique one receives or how one's work is perceived.

this sentence is a contradiction in that 'other than socially appropriate' implies that there should be a difference in how females are treated and the second half says there is no differnece.

I agree with Andy.

Of course there should. Men and women ARE different, so there will be fundamental differences in the way one treats another. My point was, as far as the artistic aspect goes, the giving and receiving of critique, etc, I am not aware of any pervasive difference.

 

[The_Traveler]

I think it is inevitable that some subjects are treated more gently than others and I don't want get into details because I don't want to turn any spotlight on specific posts.
I try to be exactly even with my comment, no matter the gender or the subject, but it's not always possible.