Gender and racial diversity initiatives have been an important social
force in the free software movement in the last several years. These
social justice campaigns have been successful: see for example
PyCon. However, those further marginalized, such as transgender
hackers, may not feel properly included in these initiatives. They
have turned to free software as a model for their own liberation as
well as a way to critique the culture of the status quo and mainstream
diversity initiatives.
This talk, co-given by a trans hacker and an anthropologist,
highlights how free software offers powerful models and critiques of
the lack of gender diversity in the free software movement by
retelling several ethnographic stories of a free software project led
by and comprised of trans women.
By presenting these ethnographic stories we wish to springboard with
the audience a conversation of the value of challenges from below to
diversity initiatives in free software and the tech industry at large.