Oops. There’s a thing called the “Global Secular Council.”
First? It’s not so global. They’re nearly all American or Ukanian, and the whole thing is clearly Anglophone.
Last? Its team of experts – 23 of them. Five women. Five.
Look at the glam picture at the top of the front page – what do you see? Four men and three women – not parity, not more women than men, but close to parity. Funny how the conspicuous glam photo on the front page looks as if there are almost as many women as men when in fact, there are not.
That’s not all you see, but I won’t go into that.
A Masked Avenger says
You didn’t look far enough down the page! When you get to “Staff,” you’ll see six women and four men. It’s not only equal–it’s biased toward women!
Improbable Joe, bearer of the Official SpokesGuitar says
Who gets to vote that these are “great minds” rather than ” rich white people with name recognition that can get money from other rich white people (mostly with name recognition)”?
Tabby Lavalamp says
They also have two people of colour at the very bottom of the page listed as staff, so they are incredibly diverse.
Giliell, professional cynic -Ilk- says
That’s quite a lot of people I really don’t want to be associated with.
And that picture, ugh. Somebody who’s been accused of rape cuddeling up to a woman, making her a prop for him to grab. *puke*
Improbable Joe, bearer of the Official SpokesGuitar says
@Giliell:
That’s the other thing I noticed. Someone with a rumored rapey disposition draped all over a female colleague in a semi-professional setting is TERRIBLE optics.
Al Dente says
Shermer can’t even keep his hands to himself for a propaganda picture.
tigtog says
I notice that the woman Shermer is draping himself over is listed as a staffer rather than a fellow expert. That’s a status discrepancy he should definitely by now have learnt to be more careful navigating, but apparently the lesson has been ignored. Fancy that.
tigtog says
P.S. this seems like a good place to drop a link about certain folks who do very carefully navigate status discrepancies in unethical and manipulative ways: Fed Up With Sexual Harassment: The Serial Harasser’s Playbook
via the latest Geek Feminism Linkspam, and clearly extrapolable beyond the field of astronomy.
RJW says
Yes, obviously a very sinister organisation of English-speaking public intellectuals, and they have the hubris to use the term ‘Global’, and Prof. Dawkins is a member, it’s outrageous!
Ophelia Benson says
Yes that was the bit I didn’t go into. I’m glad I’m not the only one who noticed.
Ophelia Benson says
Actually, RJW, it’s pretty obviously a group of self-appointed Celebrity Public Intellectuals, and what is the point of calling yourselves “global” when you’re so conspicuously no such thing? It’s sick-making in quite a few ways, and we peasants are allowed to say so.
Sili says
Secularism is just more of a guy thing.
chigau (違う) says
Where’s his other hand?
Jafafa Hots says
You don’t get it.
The “Global” isn’t about who they are or who they represent.
It’s who they’ve decided they clearly need to once again attempt to explain things to.
That’s their burden.
militantagnostic says
Tigtog
Perhaps the bicycle shorts have cut of the blood supply to his brain. Understanding the implications of a status discrepancy requires empathy. Shermer is a Libertarian.
Silentbob says
@ 11 Ophelia Benson
From the website:
… so I think the intention was to say “not just American”. Perhaps “International Secular Council” would have been a better name.
Ophelia Benson says
Apparently it’s about travel. They want to take some exotic vacations.
Silentbob says
@ 15 militantagnostic
I think the “status discrepancy” thing is being overstated. Yes, Shermer is more famous than Rogers, but she’s the Executive Director of the organisation. Unless I’m mistaken, that means: the Boss.
Silentbob says
@ 17 Ophelia Benson
But only, I hope, where decent honey is locally available.
😉
(And where the serving of alcohol is not forbidden, even if you haven’t finished your drink. Oops.. I think I just crossed a line.)
Giliell, professional cynic -Ilk- says
No, totally the same.
But by now the rest of us have learned that nothing apart from the USA and friends matters. Except when the lives of those people and their struggles are being appropriated for the sake of scoring goals against uppity minorities.
Minnow says
“Last? Its team of experts – 23 of them. Five women. Five.”
To be fair though, half the staff are women including all but one of the Director level appointments.