2008 Slog Survey: Do You Read and/or Comment on Our Political Posts? Are You a Man or a Woman?
posted by on October 1 at 10:55 AM
This web column from The New York Times brings up something I’ve been wondering about.
We know that women slightly outnumber men online. But at least anecdotally, it seems as if more men are on the political blogs, writing specifically about politics, reading about politics and putting in their two cents in the comments sections.
I’ve been wondering what the gender balance is among the people reading and/or commenting on the Slog’s political posts. Let’s see if we can shed some light on the matter with our handy Slog polling gizmo. Ready?
Answer this question only if you regularly read and/or comment on Slog’s political posts: Are you a man or a woman?
I read and/or comment on your political posts *and* am a man and/or a woman!
Wooo! Men! MEN! MEN!
Ha, I knew that was coming, NapoleonXIV. For the sake of clarity, I'm sticking with traditional gender identities for this poll.
Oh, let's face it, Slog is a gay boy's playground. Girls are welcome, but we pretty much hog the dance floor.
@3
Oh. I see. We don't matter.
You'll never win, Eli.
I read and post on political posts. However, you are right, Eli. Politics is a male-dominated field. More men run, more men vote, more men set the framework for debate. In short, men participate more.
However, when it comes to the grunt work of campaign managing or poll-working, the field seems to be at least half women or even more. They are the "Little Old Ladies" who run the polls all the way to the college students who run local campaigns and set up the events.
I comment occasionally, but I don't participate in conversations on blogs because they inevitably turn nasty and completely non-productive.
I discuss politics in real life a lot, however, and am informed greatly in those discussions by blogs.
(sniff under armpit) "he he... I smell like a man... he he... he he..."
This means nothing without another poll that asks "What's your sex regardless of whether you read/comment on political posts?"
Sometimes it seems like there are way more transgendered people posting on the political posts than one would expect.
Why is that?
Sex? Yes, thank you!
Eli, John @ 10 makes a good point.
What's the Slog M/F breakdown?
I suspect that a poll is supposed to display here, but where the poll should be I see the Stranger's restaurant & event listing box. Other polls have worked for me... care to fix this?
I can't believe I resisted the urge to participate in this poll. I guess that's a sign of maturity.
@12: Don't know the answer to that question, but I agree, it's an interesting one.
@13: Quit your browser and reopen. That should do the trick. If it doesn't, shut down and restart.
My gf hates politics because they make her feel hopeless, and hates commenting on the interwebs because of social anxiety. So here I am repping my gender, and there she be, not so much.
Just glad I'm not single and trying to pick up chicks with my witty online banter. Total sausage fest.
-
How about a poll that asks whether your name is "Will in Seattle," "keshmeshi," "Gitai," or "Napolean XIV"?
My answer to that one would be: Yes!
I'm a lady and I lurk. I'm a lurking lady. I read some of the political stuff but I don't post.
Where's Fnarf?
Women who lurk and the men who love them
Fnarf is a man, but Fnarf has been on vacation away from Slog.
That's because Fnarf is not what Mr. Miyagi would call loyal.
Women should be seen, and not heard. More photos of women in political Slog posts, please!
I've always been in favor of treason.
Wow, 500+ readers on Slog in a day, and that's just the ones who selected to vote.
@25
My God...Syphon Filter!
I read daily, but don't comment.
One reason: if I let myself, I'd soon be wasting all my time rebutting the various senseless (and especially various sexist comments) from fellow sloggers. Wasting, yes, because I'm too short on time as it is and I've found through practice that the people who make those comments aren't often the kind capable of parsing arguments contrary to their views.
i bet all the women that read and comment rolled their eyes when it came time to poll, and that's why our showing sucks. come on girls.
@28 - That's what she said!
males are trained to assert and solve
females, not so much
we comment on politics and answer polls - neither good or bad just socialization stuff
gay top men - playing out the best boys in the world thing might be the most assertive and best problem solvers in the world
@4:
Speak for yourself, buddy. Some of us "boys" are straight - and being in the +40 year-old demo, I hardly think the term "boy" can still be applied to us in any case.
I am a woman, and read the Slog at least every day. Sometimes I check it five times a day if I'm bored at work (aka often). I have never made a comment before, but I tend to almost never comment on the Internet. I sure do love reading it, though, and I have two female friends who feel the same. They've never posted a comment either--I asked. Does it matter? A good blog is a good blog is a good blog....
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