What Feminism in Science Means (Codes of Conduct Don't Tackle the Real Issues)
Chauvinists don't get removed. Chauvinists make all the important decisions while shunning or banning amicable critics.
"Feminism" is an "ism" - not a taboo observation - and when it comes to "isms" the meanings aren't always too clear. Whether applied to femininity or something else, different cultures view women (females) differently. Some openly view them as (optimally) submissive, like an ownership or instrument or servant to/of the husband and/or some household (the term husband is strict; they don't accept or recognise lesbianism, another "ism"). In some cultures, even in 2026, the women are sold or gifted or granted by their parents (usually the father) to some other person, and marriage isn't a choice. The marriage can be to a person older than the father and the woman might be pre-pubescent. As usual, so-called 'yuppie' Western circles like to ignore the harsh reality which impacts perhaps billions of women in the world and what would, to them at least, constitute emancipation or empowerment of women (e.g. equality, equal rights including voting rights, or as one might abbreviate it, "feminism"). One must also recognise that in some societies voting rights don't exist as a concept; not even men can vote.
Universality matters, more so in a project or community that's said to build the "universal operating system" (Debian). So instead of trying to impose so-called "Western values" on everybody else we must listen to and recognise a broader and oft-ignored reality.
Now, let's examine technology and science a little more broadly. Thankfully more women are nowadays participating in STEM and are accomplishing a lot by participating without (openly expressed, visible) prejudice.
There are still obstacles, such as men who assert they can rape women (sex without consent), describe every female colleague as "diversity plant" (implying only a quota system put her there), and use subtle dog whistles to belittle women. We've all seen people like these, haven't we?
In a lot of ways, feminism boils down to an "H.R." issue - namely trying to identify misogynists and incels, in turn denying them access to workplaces or collectives such as Free software communities. If they come from cultures (or religious cults; all religions have more extreme denominations) where this is "normal", then this will get spun as "intolerance" of their intolerant culture.
Codes of Conduct (CoCs) won't usher in feminism - they will simply shun critics of oligarchs - as CoCs are governed and enforced by inherently and chronically womanising corporations. These days we see people CoC-whipped for merely resisting "age-verification" (surveillance, GAFAM) in GNU/Linux. In the US, "age-verification" laws (or bills) more negatively impact women than men. It's hardly shocking given who crafted and lobbies for such bills. Don't let "feminism" be taken over or hijacked by corporate agenda (womanisers who view women as "toys" or "dolls" or "trophies" they can toss in a cage when it suits them). It can do real harm to feminists by virtue of association. █
