[WFS-India] Updated: poster competition article

[A. Mani]

On Fri, Jun 7, 2013 at 2:37 AM, María Leandro <tatica at fedoraproject.org> wrote:
> Hello.
>
> I'm happy to see that background is open to some debate; Here are my humble
> toughs.
>

We had planned all this much earlier.
So it is difficult to make modifications that amount to changing focus.
It has already been announced in 10+ channels.


Your ideas will require another competition. The *positive* aspect
that you are expecting, does not exist in the minds of potential
participants :-) as we will need to change the topic for having
*positive* posters

>
> 2013/6/6 A. Mani <a.mani.cms at gmail.com>
>
>> UPDATE
>> Background
>>
>> We hear a number of reports in the media about crimes against women
>> and minorities on a daily basis. We cannot really remain silent about
>> these because they stand to affect our lives and safety.
>
>
>
> It would be better not to start with the bad, but start with the good, we
> are trying to encourage, not courage; people. so, here are my toughs.
>

Our goal is to get more "not necessarily foss aware people" in.
The lines are intended to draw attention.... which it does.

> "Women around the world have an opinion that want to be heard; from IT
> sysadmins to housewives, female society has the gift of creativity, and our
> contest wants to open a door through where women, from India and other
> regions; can speak their minds."
>

We can reserve this for another art competition with a broader focus

> Probably adding more a focus into that they will be using FLOSS could be
> nice.
>

That part is in the rules.

>>
>>
>> The cause of such a situation can be related to illiteracy of large
>> sections of the populations, absence of sex education in any form in
>> the education system, a patriarchal system that curtails the rights of
>> women and minorities, inadequate and poorly trained law enforcement
>> forces and inadequate laws. Activists will say that the problem of
>> dealing with the decadent patriarchy is hard because it has merged
>> itself with cultural, religious and business practices at the cost of
>> basic human values. More recently, even the minimalist recommendations
>> of the Verma commission have not been fully accepted by the Government
>> resulting in the laws remaining sub-human in nature.
>>
>
> Talking about what causes social issues has to be what they show into their
> artwork; problems exist all around the world, however, an abstract cannot
> show opinions such as "activists says..." since we are not trying to make a
> point, we are letting the door open so women speak their opinions WITH
> artwork.
>

No, we have to provide directions on what we are looking for.
Otherwise we will get all kinds of posters.

>>
>> It is no wonder that the human rights abuses of women and LGBT people
>> is the norm. If you reflect on the issues involved, then you will
>> realize that the progress of the entire society is affected as a
>> consequence.
>>
>
> Again, we are not attacking, we are letting them do it with their art.
>

A broad intro is needed. They will come up with all types of posters
as most of the things in the "Background"
are well known.

>>
>> This poster competition is for highlighting various facets of the
>> problem and possible egalitarian solutions.
>>
>>
> A poster is not gonna solve any problem, posters are to create awareness and
> conscience about the problem; the main goal HAS to be to select an awesome
> poster that encourage women to keep on; not to start a riot.
>

Posters can *highlight* aspects of the problem or solution... = awareness
Our thinking is "people will think of doing a posters only if they
have sufficient motivation".
The motivation is in the need to improve the situation as we are not
offering any great prizes.

Your thinking is too different from the line. The only kind of
positive posters that people see here are Govt advertisements ... they
are generally laughed at.

Who will want to make positive posters under the present conditions?
It would be like playing the lute while Rome is burning.

>
>
>> * We will not be able to send prizes to regions falling outside the
>> country, but anyway do participate.
>
>
> Probably this could be discussed.
>


What can be done?
We have asked Fedora for $90 only for prizes.



>
> Highligh social evils? really? I would rather "highlight women power"
>

Women do not show much power here :)

>>  Demands reforms in a powerful way.
>
>
> Again, is not about start a riot

Anyway I am expecting most of the posters to be about starting a riot/
petition or Litigation.


>
>>
>>  Rectifies common misconceptions about gender and sex.
>
>
> Could be rephrased into something more "Encourage rights equality"

This is different from gender equality. I will add it elsewhere.

>
>>
>>  Conveys deeper aspects of the development of social evils.
>
>
> Again, should be about showing the good
>

We are not doing propaganda for any Govt or Political party. The
general trend is that these issues are swept under the carpet because
*anything positive about women/gender rights* can be cast as evil by
appealing to religion, caste etc by vested interests.




Best

A. Mani


--
A. Mani
CU, ASL, AMS, CLC, CMS
http://www.logicamani.in