Orientation to GenderIT.org
Welcome to the GenderIT.org family!
Hello and welcome to GenderIT.org. While we aren't a big site or organisation, we work virtually and rarely meet face to face, so it can be a little difficult to orient your way round the site. This guide is designed to help you understand a bit about who we are and what we do, through some reading suggestions and links that will help you learn a bit more about the work we do.
GenderIT.org? Where did it come from?
GenderIT.org is a programme under the Women's Rights Programme (WRP) of the Association for Progressive Communications (APC). It started as a site monitoring policy developments on ICT and gender, and from its beginnings has been unique. Initially it was one of the first sites looking at ICT policy developments through a gender lens. More sites and individuals are now doing this, reflecting both the growth of the internet and the growing awareness of online misogyny. However, GenderIT.org remains a unique space for its focus on the Global South, its focus on those working at a grassroots level (that is grounded in the experience of the women in the society in which they live), and for its emphasis on both advocacy and social justice.
If you are contributing, there's some essential reading
Read this document on [our core values], and this one on [our code of ethics].
We've developed these guides on [digital story-telling], [audio] and [photography], that look at why a gender lens is important when putting together a story. Here there are guides to each of the sections on GenderIT.org, and this page could help if you're new to working with a group online – where meeting face to face is very rare.
Lastly we have a growing FAQ, and if you have a question that isn't answered here, let us know.
I want to know more...
The best thing is to take a look through some of the work that has been published on the site. The articles below should give you an idea of the different styles of writing on the site, from the more personal blog posts, to the heavier policy research. It also reflects some of the geographic diversity of the articles on the site, and should orient you to some of the key issues we deal with.
Let's go beyond the basics: What would feminist internet governance look like?
This editorial summarises and links to the main arguments on why a feminist perspective illuminates debates on internet governance. Together the articles look at the difficulties of getting gender onto the table, violence against women online and provides an outline of the debates taking place in Latin American forums.
Digital misogyny: “It felt like 514 people had raped me all over again”
This disturbing story shows a contrasting style. While this blog does not share the author's point of view, common and welcome in the Feminist Talk section, it is a story that documents a harrowing instance of digital misogyny, and personal bravery, giving strong if anecdotal support to the work done to introduce a feminist perspective to internet governance, grounded in local concerns and experiences.
It's not all doom and gloom. This is an editorial that links to ways in which feminist initiatives are making a difference, getting change implemented in myriad ways.
Good women, girls and HIV: Morality over health at the Commission on the Status of Women
This article shows one of the aspects of event coverage, but don't take this as the only or even the best way of covering events. Our event coverage ranges from hard-hitting policy discussions to equally important anecdotes on personal experience. This is included in the list partly to give some ideas on event coverage, but also to introduce the concerns we at GenderIT.org have about the way the 'porn debate' is framed, a language of protection, rather than language focusing on harm prevention.
Leading up to the Beijing Review: Strategising for Section J
Written by ISIS International, a feminist media organisation, this statement shows the groundwork and planning that goes in before heading to an event, and how APC and progressive allies work to build coalitions that are capable of influencing debate.
Survey on sexual activism, morality, and the internet
This is one of GenderIT's most-read articles, and looks at the evidence-based reporting and research that is essential to advocacy and policy change. The EROTICS reports are all essential reading for those who want to understand how the internet functions, how it is used and who benefits or is harmed by current policy initiatives.
How to write
This page provides an introduction on how to write the different types of article that appear on GenderIT.org.
... a feminist talk
A feminist talk blog is where you get to be yourself – use more informal language, express opinions and challenge your readers. Feminist Talk pieces are usually quite short, no more than 500 words, but be warned! They are very lightly edited, if at all. If you want a feminist talk piece to be spell and grammar-checked, you need to ask the editorial team.
Check previous feminist talks for reference:
Trials of a confused feminist (in an internet governance school)
Facebook: The king laid bare and the drag queens
Why internet rights matter for Africa(ns)
… an analytical article
Analytical articles are to inform readers about perspectives, issues and debates, putting forward ideas. We don't expect writers to be 'objective' or 'impartial', we expect an informed, well-reasoned feminist perspective. This means in practice that you have to cite your sources, link widely and provide readers with context for your arguments. Analytical articles are expected to be between 1,500 and 2,500 words.
Rather than news conventions, academic conventions are probably most useful here. Make one point per paragraph, cite broadly to illustrate both your expertise and the precedents for your argument, establish early on the argument you are making and guide your reader through the stages that you take to get there. Make sure that when you reference your work thoroughly, particularly when you cite others.
In your analysis you can look at the root causes of an issue, draw links between personal experiences of women and historical and global processes, or examine similarities and differences in manifestation of the issue by people living in different contexts as well as their response to this issue.
Check previous analytical articles for reference:
South Africa: Pornography and the internet – justifiable protection or entrenching patriarchy?
Argentina: Strategic use of ICT as a response to violence against women
'Does your mother know?' Agency, risk and morality in the online lives of young women in Mumbai
… an interview
The most important thing to remember about interviews is that they are not verbatim transcripts. You are expected to edit the interviewee's words to make them more concise, and easier to understand, but not to censor views or change the meaning of the words.
Ask questions that draw out the interviewee, that help non-experts understand her or his perspective and the importance of that perspective on the subject. Allow them space at the end of the interview to add anything that you may not have already covered.
Lastly, think about the power relations between yourself and the interviewee. Make sure that they are comfortable with the questions beforehand, especially if they are a survivor of violence. If they are in a marginalised or vulnerable position, give them the opportunity to read the final article before it is uploaded, and make sure that they are happy with their portrayal. If the interview was conducted over the phone or similar, quote check – send them the transcript of the quotes you are using from them, to check for accuracy.
Check previous interviews for reference:
Interview with Nana Darkoa: Adventures from the bedroom of an African woman
Interview: Adolescent girls' mobile phone use in Bihar, Jharkand, UP
Copyright? Copyleft? Why does it matter? An interview with Heather Ford
Read also: Dealing with vulnerable interviewees
… an editorial
Editorial usually introduces the GenderIT.org's thematic edition, we often invite a guest writer (meaning someone who is for some reason a relevant voice on the theme in focus but not necessarily a core writer) to prepare an editorial and share her/his opinion on an issue. The usual suggested length for the editorial is no more than one page, or 350 words.
The editorial is meant to introduce the theme of the edition, promote critical thinking, and encourage readers to read the edition and/or take action on the issue. They use a personal tone, and share personal opinions and experiences, including possible solutions to the issue in focus work often bests. What is extremely important for the development of the editorial is that the guest writer has in hand all the materials for the upcoming edition, so she/he can go through them and have a sense of what the edition is about, and even be able to make reference or quote the particular articles.
Check previous editorials for reference:
Tipping the balance for local adopters of technology
Internet governance: If we are not at the table, we will be on the menu
… a resource summary
Even though resources are usually pdf formatted papers or presentations that are stand alone materials, we do not just throw them on the website without an introduction that sparks the interest of the readership. Here are some simple steps to follow when writing the summary:
1) State the purpose of a document/report. Why was it written? 2) Briefly describe the scope of the report. What problem does it solve or what issues are covered? 3) Provide an overview of the research/data collection methods used. How was information for the report gathered? (if applicable) 4) State the key results and findings detailed in the report. What did you find out? 5) Present the main conclusions and recommendations. What should the reader do about it? 6) How does it relate to women’s and internet rights?
The optimal length for a resource summary is between 500-700 words.
See example: EROTICS: Sex, rights and the internet - an exploratory research study
Read more:
Writing for a multilingual audience: Some Do’s and Dont's for native and near-native English language writers.
APC reference guide: A thorough list of reference types and how to use them in APC and GenderIT.org publications.
Checklist for ALL articles
Every article submitted to GenderIT.org should contain these elements:
Heading: This is where you persuade readers that they should read your story.
Summary or lead: One or two sentences that summarise the main point of your article, again to persuade the reader to read further.
Biography: Two or three lines describing who you are – even if you are writing anonymously this could give readers some context of the work that you do.
Lastly check that your references meet the reference guidelines listed above.
A very handy guide for editors
This is a guide to help editors new to GenderIT.org to understand the priorities for the site and provide a quick reference to important documents that you may need in your work.
Introduction
The editor is the link between the writer and the audience, and the main aim of the editor is to improve communication between the two. While all stories should follow GenderIT.org style and editorial guidelines, and be in line with the core principles of the site, as far as possible, the editor keeps the words and flow of the original writer. The writer is usually an expert in their field, often with many years of campaigning or struggle in their own country – often in languages that are not English. It is important to respect the writer, and ask them questions and permission for any substantive changes.
It is not always easy to follow these guidelines!
Editing tips
- Read through the entire piece first. This gives some sense of what the story is about, and often points that are confusing can be clarified later on.
- Use a lighter touch for blogs such as Feminist Talk. Just check for spelling and readability – only if something is very confusing, make an amendment. Always track changes.
- Check for points that are made more than once. If there is new information, try to meld the two together for brevity, and readability.
- Make sure that language is as simple as possible. Writers, especially those fluent in English, may use colloquialisms or long words. It is particularly important for readers whose first language is not English to simplify these. Example: Time seemed to fly, the conference was so packed with exciting speakers. Instead: The conference had lots of exciting speakers.
- As far as possible check accuracy. If there was an event, check the dates, that names are spelt correctly etc. Google is definitely your friend!
- Check footnotes and references, for both style and completeness. If you think something needs to be referenced, ask for the writer to put that in.
- For some writers (but certainly not all), this may be the first time they are publishing something in English. Your role MAY be to guide and advise them. It is usually clear from the text itself if this is the case. Always phrase guidance respectfully and positively.
- Its important that you encourage the writers to provide as many links within the text as possible. Some writers might not be used to write in online platforms, so we should try to make the text as fluid and rich as possible. The articles can't cover all the contextual information that understanding the content of the article might require, but links can be quite useful for that.
- Editors should also help writers understand how important is to save some time to search in the website and select related articles and resources as much as possible. This way we build on previous writings and we offer the readership a much prolific reading experience. And we increase our chances of readers to get interested in related materials and to stay on the website!
Some pieces may need two or three edits. Be prepared!
Editing a translation
Many of GenderIT.org articles are translations (from English to Spanish or viceversa). Editing translations has its own challenges, since the mediation of the translator is a second voice that shows in the final article. Always edit the translated article with the original in hand, so you can double-check that the translator didn't misunderstand any phrase or word. In some cases, when translators do not understand a very specific word or expression, they might highlight it for your consideration, so be ready to solve that quiz. Going back to the author and asking for synonyms or alternative ways of saying it might help.
Quick links
Link here to Code of ethics; Style guide; Editorial guide; Citation guide.
Checklist
1. Does the piece as a whole make sense? Is the argument/are the points clear? Is there any repetition, and if so, does it serve a purpose? 2. Is the language clear? Are there any colloquialisms? Are there any words or phrases that a person whose first language is not English may have difficulty understanding? 3. Are the grammar and spelling correct? 4. Are all quotes or other materials adequately referenced, following the house style? 5. Is there anything missing? Is there an argument or idea that the writer could have followed up on that would strengthen the article? Are there any suggestions you'd like to make to the writer?