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Atheist Nexus is Run by a White Male

And there's nothing wrong with that. But to ignore the fact that the majority of the mainstream atheist movement is composed of white males would be wrong. Greta Christina (I am in love with this woman) recently wrote about this fact, and how it affects all of us. An excerpt:

I want to talk about why it's important for the atheist movement to start paying attention -- now -- to race and gender. I want to talk about why it's important for the atheist movement to start paying attention -- now -- to the fact that it is largely a white male movement... and to how that's likely to affect the future of the movement, for everyone in it. I want to talk about into how, exactly, a movement that starts out being mostly white and mostly male, with mostly white men in positions of visibility and leadership, has a tendency to stay that way... even with the best intentions of everyone in that movement. And I want to talk about why this matters: why it's a serious problem, why it's going to matter more and more as our movement grows... and why it's important to nip the problem in the bud, early, while our movement is still relatively young.

Edit: To those of you who are scratching your heads and asking "what issue?", read THIS.

I also want to talk about this issue, with a specific focus on Atheist Nexus. This is not the place to discuss what the solution should be; I will post a separate discussion for that HERE. This is the place to share your feelings about how we are all affected, so that the rest of us can see how very real this situation is. This is the place to get whatever thoughts and feelings you have off your chest, or if you like, you can answer a few questions:

*Which demographics best describe you (age, gender, race, class, nationality, sexual orientation, disability, etc.)?

*Which demographics do you personally feel are under-represented on A|N?
Edit: CLICK HERE AND HERE to see the results of one A|N survey.

*How has the demographic composition of A|N affected your personal involvement here?

Please, no personal attacks. If you have any specific issues, please contact a moderator in private so we can help you.

Tags: age, atheist nexus, class, disability, gender, nationality, race, sexual orientation

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by JayBarti on September 9, 2009 at 1:36pm

I read that same post today Nerd, I agree she writes with some good insights.

Let me answer the Demographic question

White, male, Late 30's (verging on 40), Canadian, hetro... if I wasn't an atheist I would be a stereotypical male Candian in a lot of ways.

The demographics here at A|N were not a driving force to me being here or not, it is not something I notice beyond gender for the most part. Am I under-represented on A|N, certainly not in my expectation. I see a lot of similar views to my own, as well as similar types of people, my demographic is aparently well represented on A|N.

As for under-representation on A|N, I am not sure. Certainly there are a lot of males who are more vocal then others, but I will say that there is a strong and vocal Female and Black contingents here on A|N, certainly many more then I find at other similar sites.

I am curious to see what others have to say, since it is not something I previously paid attention to.

Permalink Reply by Anne Halligan on September 9, 2009 at 1:51pm

Ok stats first: I'm a 40 year old white British woman. Completely socialist, almost completely heterosexual and not one bit patriotic. I've been an atheist since I was 11 and made it known to my family at 13. I can honestly say my religious stance has never caused me any problems.

With that in mind I struggle with the Americentrism of this site. I have difficulty relating to the persecution so many American atheists say they are surrounded by. This added to the multiple factions within xianity in America, leaves me unable to relate from a personal perspective.

I feel that other world views are under-represented and as yet I have not encountered another British woman, and few British men. That said we are outnumbering the Eastern hemisphere by a long shot. For a truly global atheist experience, the site needs to appeal to and welcome a more diverse membership, be that gender, nationality or sexual persuasion.

Permalink Reply by Dallas Gaytheist on September 9, 2009 at 3:35pm

For a truly global atheist experience, the site needs to appeal to and welcome a more diverse membership, be that gender, nationality or sexual persuasion.

I think this site welcomes everyone except theists, but as far as appealing to all atheists, that is hard to say. I have noticed a lot of people sign up but never come back. Not sure why. I love A|N, and spend entirely too much time here.

Permalink Reply by Diana Graves on October 3, 2009 at 7:00pm

I am an American woman, 26 and too white...I work at night, no sun light there...But I think that while those numbers down there are a big deal, it's up to each of us to change them. Spread the word, and all that. Bring people here. That, “if you build it, they will come,” mentality doesn't really work online.

We must actively seek out a more diverse population. It will benefit us greatly.

Permalink Reply by Dale McGowan on September 9, 2009 at 2:08pm

Thanks for that link. I haven't read such a devastatingly spot-on piece of writing in years. It matters, and addressing it will be tough. This is a movement (ironically) unaccustomed to self-criticism.

Also recommended: Peggy McIntosh, "Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack"

-- US white male middle class hetero

Permalink Reply by The Nerd on September 9, 2009 at 2:32pm

That's a very good link. I especially like this: whites are taught to think of their lives as morally neutral, normative, and average, and also ideal, so that when we work to benefit others, this is seen as work that will allow "them" to be more like "us."

I feel at a disadvantage having grown up in an all-white community, so I normalized that sense of neutrality associated with my race, and never gave much thought to what it implied about other races. I have had quite an awakening in the past few months, since I now live in a city filled with minorities. I noticed after a while that I don't see them at work and I don't see them at meetups, and when I do see them they're never in mixed-race groupings. When people self-segregate, it's often because of a perceived difference or incompatibility in values held by another group. At first I thought "how strange to perceive skin-color as a basis for differently held values", but now I understand that my lack of recognition of how racist our culturally-approved conventions are is exactly what indicates how white I really am.

White privilege is being able to ignore white privilege and not suffer for it.

Permalink Reply by tom arcaro on September 9, 2009 at 2:50pm

Nerd,

If you think it would be helpful I can post on this thread the data from the survey I did (hosted on A/N; n = 8204). I have breakdown on age, gender, race, nationality, sexual orientation.

Tom

Permalink Reply by The Nerd on September 9, 2009 at 2:57pm

Go for it!

Permalink Reply by tom arcaro on September 9, 2009 at 3:50pm

Nerd (and all),

Let me know if any further info would be useful.

Permalink Reply by Dallas Gaytheist on September 9, 2009 at 3:54pm

Wow, that's a big majority of white people, and males. I had no idea there was that big of a gap. How old is this data, and what was the A|N population at the time?

And what could account for those differences? I see no indication that the input of non-whites or females is in any way, shape, or form unwelcomed here.

Permalink Reply by Sandi Howard on October 24, 2009 at 5:35pm

Interesting stats. Had no idea there was a majority of white people and males. I am definitely in the minority......married, white, female, 60's and no atheist friends besides this group.

Permalink Reply by Brother Richard on October 24, 2009 at 5:50pm

Sandi, this is why we shouldn't get so distracted with stats. We should strive for balance, but never forget that we are all individuals. Welcome, and I hope you're Nexus friends are being good to you.