Comments on: Homebrewtalk.com and the beer-glass ceiling http://freerangelibrarian.com/2009/01/31/homebrewtalkcom-and-the-beer-glass-ceiling/ K.G. Schneider's blog on librarianship, writing, and everything else Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:59:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: Windy http://freerangelibrarian.com/2009/01/31/homebrewtalkcom-and-the-beer-glass-ceiling/comment-page-1/#comment-530364 Windy Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:57:06 +0000 http://freerangelibrarian.com/?p=1963#comment-530364 Oh, how disappointing. I'm a female brewer and registered recently on the site. Like you, I saw the "premium membership" info, and looked to see what that was. There was nothing--no information at all. So I Googled. I'm not really a humorless bitch, either, and frankly I don't much care to "buy" access to photos of brew babes, but it wouldn't stop me from getting premium membership if I thought it was a good deal for other reasons. However, the whole idea that a (perfectly reasonable) question about "what am I buying here?" would cause them to scrub the thread is pretty disappointing. All the homebrewers I know personally are awesome. Maybe this is the wrong brewing community for me. Oh, how disappointing. I’m a female brewer and registered recently on the site. Like you, I saw the “premium membership” info, and looked to see what that was. There was nothing–no information at all. So I Googled.

I’m not really a humorless bitch, either, and frankly I don’t much care to “buy” access to photos of brew babes, but it wouldn’t stop me from getting premium membership if I thought it was a good deal for other reasons.

However, the whole idea that a (perfectly reasonable) question about “what am I buying here?” would cause them to scrub the thread is pretty disappointing.

All the homebrewers I know personally are awesome. Maybe this is the wrong brewing community for me.

]]> By: jessamyn http://freerangelibrarian.com/2009/01/31/homebrewtalkcom-and-the-beer-glass-ceiling/comment-page-1/#comment-460163 jessamyn Mon, 20 Apr 2009 21:12:29 +0000 http://freerangelibrarian.com/?p=1963#comment-460163 I read this with interest not as a librarian but as a site moderator. As the one female moderator on a big internet website, we have to constantly and gently get the point across to a lot of people that "ironic sexism still reads like sexism to many people and it's not really okay here." One of the supposed downsides to opening up membership and growth generally is that some of these inside jokes don't play as well to the larger crowds. I'm okay with that, explaining and re-explaining and explaining again in careful language that what used to feel like our own living room is now a lot more like a public space and we need to use our public space voices and our public space words. I can handle tongue in cheek sexism just fine but I wouldn't pay to get access to more of it -- heck it's FREE where I come from, all you can eat -- and I think your objections were perfectly valid. I'm very surprised they decided to pull the entire thread, but maybe thay have terms of service supporting that sort of move. Thanks for sharing the story, in any case. I read this with interest not as a librarian but as a site moderator. As the one female moderator on a big internet website, we have to constantly and gently get the point across to a lot of people that “ironic sexism still reads like sexism to many people and it’s not really okay here.” One of the supposed downsides to opening up membership and growth generally is that some of these inside jokes don’t play as well to the larger crowds.

I’m okay with that, explaining and re-explaining and explaining again in careful language that what used to feel like our own living room is now a lot more like a public space and we need to use our public space voices and our public space words. I can handle tongue in cheek sexism just fine but I wouldn’t pay to get access to more of it — heck it’s FREE where I come from, all you can eat — and I think your objections were perfectly valid. I’m very surprised they decided to pull the entire thread, but maybe thay have terms of service supporting that sort of move.

Thanks for sharing the story, in any case.

]]> By: Free Range Librarian › Sentence First, Verdict After: Quilting Bees and Amazonfail and Censorship http://freerangelibrarian.com/2009/01/31/homebrewtalkcom-and-the-beer-glass-ceiling/comment-page-1/#comment-459622 Free Range Librarian › Sentence First, Verdict After: Quilting Bees and Amazonfail and Censorship Sun, 19 Apr 2009 13:49:22 +0000 http://freerangelibrarian.com/?p=1963#comment-459622 [...] I noticed a couple of posts had come in on my post about the sexism — and more crucially, censorship — of homebrewtalk.com. [...] [...] I noticed a couple of posts had come in on my post about the sexism — and more crucially, censorship — of homebrewtalk.com. [...]

]]> By: K.G. Schneider http://freerangelibrarian.com/2009/01/31/homebrewtalkcom-and-the-beer-glass-ceiling/comment-page-1/#comment-459620 K.G. Schneider Sun, 19 Apr 2009 13:37:01 +0000 http://freerangelibrarian.com/?p=1963#comment-459620 I'm posting about this. I’m posting about this.

]]> By: Janet Mulligan http://freerangelibrarian.com/2009/01/31/homebrewtalkcom-and-the-beer-glass-ceiling/comment-page-1/#comment-458721 Janet Mulligan Fri, 17 Apr 2009 21:22:23 +0000 http://freerangelibrarian.com/?p=1963#comment-458721 I'm sorry you got a bad impression of HBT (homebrewtalk.com) on your visit. It IS a very male-heavy hobby, but I've never been treated with anything but welcome and generosity by the members of the board. I guess it helps if you have a ribald sense of humor and can handle a combination of 1)male flattery and 2) tongue-in-cheek sexism. There is a TON of valuable information there, and I enjoy the social side of it as well. I hope you're willing to give it another shot. Your brewing will benefit, and you'll realize it's all in good fun. I’m sorry you got a bad impression of HBT (homebrewtalk.com) on your visit. It IS a very male-heavy hobby, but I’ve never been treated with anything but welcome and generosity by the members of the board. I guess it helps if you have a ribald sense of humor and can handle a combination of 1)male flattery and 2) tongue-in-cheek sexism.

There is a TON of valuable information there, and I enjoy the social side of it as well. I hope you’re willing to give it another shot. Your brewing will benefit, and you’ll realize it’s all in good fun.

]]> By: Chad Ward http://freerangelibrarian.com/2009/01/31/homebrewtalkcom-and-the-beer-glass-ceiling/comment-page-1/#comment-458690 Chad Ward Fri, 17 Apr 2009 19:36:05 +0000 http://freerangelibrarian.com/?p=1963#comment-458690 Well, shoot. I'm surprised and disappointed that you had that experience on HomeBrewTalk.com. I've been a member and premium supporter for a couple of years now and have found it to be an encouraging and inclusive group. The Brewbabes section contains images that, while locker room in nature, are no different from what you'd find in a lot of beer advertising, i.e. busty barmaids, bikini girls holding beers, etc. Not that I mind scantily clad attractive women, but that's not why I frequent HomeBrewTalk. Luckily, there's an "ignore forum" button that allows you to block sections of the site. Again, I'm sorry that you had the experience you did. There are too few female brewers as it is. Making one feel excluded or that she's intruded on the frat party is inexcusable. I don't represent the site, but I'll apologize on its behalf. Most of us aren't like that. Chad Well, shoot. I’m surprised and disappointed that you had that experience on HomeBrewTalk.com. I’ve been a member and premium supporter for a couple of years now and have found it to be an encouraging and inclusive group. The Brewbabes section contains images that, while locker room in nature, are no different from what you’d find in a lot of beer advertising, i.e. busty barmaids, bikini girls holding beers, etc. Not that I mind scantily clad attractive women, but that’s not why I frequent HomeBrewTalk. Luckily, there’s an “ignore forum” button that allows you to block sections of the site.

Again, I’m sorry that you had the experience you did. There are too few female brewers as it is. Making one feel excluded or that she’s intruded on the frat party is inexcusable. I don’t represent the site, but I’ll apologize on its behalf. Most of us aren’t like that.

Chad

]]> By: Jon Gorman http://freerangelibrarian.com/2009/01/31/homebrewtalkcom-and-the-beer-glass-ceiling/comment-page-1/#comment-426364 Jon Gorman Sun, 01 Feb 2009 04:17:51 +0000 http://freerangelibrarian.com/?p=1963#comment-426364 Oh ewww. Somehow I missed the whole catfight comment the first time I read the post. Whole 'nother level of creep there. I've never understood the catfight thing. Oh ewww. Somehow I missed the whole catfight comment the first time I read the post.

Whole ‘nother level of creep there. I’ve never understood the catfight thing.

]]> By: K.G. Schneider http://freerangelibrarian.com/2009/01/31/homebrewtalkcom-and-the-beer-glass-ceiling/comment-page-1/#comment-426299 K.G. Schneider Sun, 01 Feb 2009 00:31:00 +0000 http://freerangelibrarian.com/?p=1963#comment-426299 Liz, I bet they are just fine -- and they have a very cool glass/teeshirt print: http://www.northernbrewer.com/pics/fullsize/CBD-shelter.jpg Liz, I bet they are just fine — and they have a very cool glass/teeshirt print:

http://www.northernbrewer.com/pics/fullsize/CBD-shelter.jpg

]]> By: Liz http://freerangelibrarian.com/2009/01/31/homebrewtalkcom-and-the-beer-glass-ceiling/comment-page-1/#comment-426280 Liz Sat, 31 Jan 2009 23:46:31 +0000 http://freerangelibrarian.com/?p=1963#comment-426280 I'm a librarian, not a homebrewer - I just drink what my husband makes. The local shop in Minneapolis is Northern Brewer, and they do a big mail order business too. If you find anything as lame as Beer Babes there, let me know - I'll give my friend who is VP of customer service hell! I’m a librarian, not a homebrewer – I just drink what my husband makes. The local shop in Minneapolis is Northern Brewer, and they do a big mail order business too. If you find anything as lame as Beer Babes there, let me know – I’ll give my friend who is VP of customer service hell!

]]> By: K.G. Schneider http://freerangelibrarian.com/2009/01/31/homebrewtalkcom-and-the-beer-glass-ceiling/comment-page-1/#comment-426251 K.G. Schneider Sat, 31 Jan 2009 23:10:34 +0000 http://freerangelibrarian.com/?p=1963#comment-426251 Chorizo++ I don't mind looking at photos of attractive women, either, when you get down to it, but I have a hunch the "Brew Babes" appeal to a certain type... and the whole women-fighting-men-watching stuff makes my stomach churn. "Frat house" is the vibe, thank you. I picked up the (hard to spell) AHA magazine at Tattered Cover, and enjoyed it thoroughly. Very beer-geeky and still over my head, but fun to read. If I'm going to spend $, I believe AHA at least has a lobby (there are still states that don't allow homebrewing!). Libeerians? Hmmm... Chorizo++

I don’t mind looking at photos of attractive women, either, when you get down to it, but I have a hunch the “Brew Babes” appeal to a certain type… and the whole women-fighting-men-watching stuff makes my stomach churn. “Frat house” is the vibe, thank you.

I picked up the (hard to spell) AHA magazine at Tattered Cover, and enjoyed it thoroughly. Very beer-geeky and still over my head, but fun to read. If I’m going to spend $, I believe AHA at least has a lobby (there are still states that don’t allow homebrewing!).

Libeerians? Hmmm…

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