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Line 620: − === Atheist PZ Myers' and atheist Susan Jacoby's commentary concerning atheist meetings === − − In June of 2010, the atheist [[PZ Myers]] commented that atheist meetings tend to be significantly more attended by males.<ref>[http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2010/06/29/the-woman-problem/ The Woman problem by PZ Myers]</ref> In October of 2012, the atheist Susan Jacoby wrote in ''The Humanist'' concerning atheist meetings: "When I speak before non-college audiences — that is, audiences in which no one is required to be there to get credit for a college course — 75 percent of the people in the seats are men."<ref>http://thehumanist.org/september-october-2012/a-woman%E2%80%99s-place-the-dearth-of-women-in-the-secular-movement/#sthash.OCLeJO3U.dpuf A Woman’s Place? The Dearth of Women in the Secular Movement]</ref> Line 633:
Line 630: − === 2010 New York Times description of atheist meeting attendees ===+ − In 2010, an atheists' meeting was organized in the [[United States]] concerning the future direction of the atheist movement and 370 people attended. The ''[[New York Times]]'' described the attendees as "The largely white and male crowd — imagine a [[Star Trek]] convention, but older...". <ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/16/us/16beliefs.html New York Times, October 15, 2010]</ref>+ − === Prominent general atheist websites appear to receive significantly less traffic from women ===+ − The website [[Freethoughtblogs]] has significantly less women visiting their website than men according to the web traffic tracking companies [[Alexa]] and [[Quantcast]].<ref>[https://www.quantcast.com/freethoughtblogs.com Freethoughtblogs.com demographics as per Quantcast]</ref><ref>[http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/freethoughtblogs.com Freethoughtblogs.com demographics as per Alexa]</ref> The website run by the organization American Atheist has significantly less women trafficking their website according to [[Alexa]].<ref>http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/atheists.org</ref> The [[Internet Infidels]] website has significantly less woman trafficking their website according to [[Alexa]].<ref>http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/infidels.org</ref> The British Website New Humanist Magazine receives significantly less traffic from women according to Alexa.<ref>http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/newhumanist.org.uk</ref>. Atheist Ireland also has significantly less women trafficking their website according to Alexa.<ref>http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/atheist.ie</ref>+ − − === New Atheism websites appear to receive significantly less traffic from women === − − The four most prominent writers of the [[New Atheism|New Atheist]] movement are Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens and Daniel Dennett. Like Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris has his own website. According to the website tracking firms [[Alexa]] and Quantcast women frequent the website of Samharris.org and richarddawkins.net significantly less than men.<ref> − *[http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/samharris.org] − − *[http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/richarddawkins.net] − *[http://www.quantcast.com/richarddawkins.net#demographics]</ref> − === Atheist PZ Myers says atheists are largely a population of internet nerds and geeks ===+ Line 659:
Line 648: − ==== Summary ====+ − − The above data suggest that atheism in general and the New Atheism movement is significantly less appealing to women in the [[Western World]]. − − === Atheism and sexism === − [[File:Atheist Dan Barker.jpg|thumbnail|right|175px|[[Dan Barker]] ]] − ''See also:'' [[Atheism and rape]] and [[Elevatorgate]] and [[Western atheism and race]] − − Writing on the [[sexism]] within the atheist community, atheist Victoria Bekiempis wrote in a ''Guardian'' article entitled ''Why the [[New Atheism]] is a boys' club'': − {{cquote|Annie Laurie Gaylor, who founded the [[Freedom From Religion Foundation]] with her mother, Anne Nicol Gaylor, in 1978, sums it up succinctly: “One word — sexism.” Gaylor’s husband, [[Dan Barker]], who helms the organization along with her, is usually the one invited to speaking engagements, despite her longer tenure as the organization’s leader and her numerous books on atheism.<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/sep/26/new-atheism-boys-club Why the [[New Atheism]] is a boys' club]</ref>}} − − According to [[Rebecca Watson]] atheist women are often punished for being outspoken - particularly when they speak about [[feminism]].<ref>[http://live.huffingtonpost.com/r/segment/women-are-afraid-of-atheism/51fae2acfe344467f2000596 Calling All Female Atheists - Huffington Post - video]</ref> In August of 2013, Watson said the harassment she received from male atheists skyrocketed after [[Elevatorgate]]. <ref>[http://live.huffingtonpost.com/r/segment/women-are-afraid-of-atheism/51fae2acfe344467f2000596 Calling All Female Atheists - Huffington Post - video]</ref> Furthermore, she said she still receives harassment from male fans of Richard Dawkins.<ref>[http://live.huffingtonpost.com/r/segment/women-are-afraid-of-atheism/51fae2acfe344467f2000596 Calling All Female Atheists - Huffington Post - video]</ref> The atheist feminist Dr. Sikivu Hutchinson concurs with Watson and says that sexual harassment has been institutionalized within the atheist movement and that atheist men have an investment in censoring, controlling and policing women and also have an investment in "male privilege".<ref>[http://live.huffingtonpost.com/r/segment/women-are-afraid-of-atheism/51fae2acfe344467f2000596 Calling All Female Atheists - Huffington Post - video]</ref> − − − − *[[Atheism and rape]] − − *[[Elevatorgate]] − − === Religious involvement and lower domestic abuse === − − ''See also:'' [[Atheism and rape]] − − An abstract for a 2007 [[Baylor University]] study entitled ''Race/Ethnicity, Religious Involvement, and Domestic Violence'' declares: "religious involvement, specifically church attendance, protects against domestic violence, and this protective effect is stronger for African American men and women and for Hispanic men, groups that, for a variety of reasons, experience elevated risk for this type of violence."<ref>[ http://vaw.sagepub.com/content/13/11/1094.abstract Race/Ethnicity, Religious Involvement, and Domestic Violence]</ref><ref>[http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php/55373.pdf ''Race/Ethnicity, Religious Involvement, and Domestic Violence'']</ref> − − A September 9, 2012 article at ''Atlantic Wire'' wrote about the noted atheist [[John Lennon]]: − {{cquote|But people have mostly forgotten that Lennon was also physically abusive towards women. "I used to be cruel to my woman," he said, citing the lyrics to "Getting Better" in a Playboy interview near the end of his life. "Physically—any woman. I was a hitter. I couldn't express myself and I hit. I fought men and I hit women." In his biography The Lives of John Lennon, Albert Goldman also maintains that Lennon was guilty of spousal abuse.<ref>[http://www.theatlanticwire.com/entertainment/2012/09/john-lennon-and-chris-brown-have-something-common/57040/ John Lennon and Chris Brown Have Something in Common]</ref>}} − − === Women, history and atheism === − − ''See also:'' [[History of Atheism|History of atheism]] and [[Atheism and women]] − − [[File:Thiry 2.jpg|thumbnail|right|100px|[[Paul-Henri Thiry]] ]] − In the 1770s, the French philosopher [[Paul-Henri Thiry]] observed a dearth of female atheists.<ref>[http://www.salon.com/2013/07/21/from_hitchens_to_dawkins_where_are_the_women_of_new_atheism/ From Hitchens to Dawkins: Where are the women of New Atheism?]</ref> The English poet Edward Young (June 5, 1681 – April 5, 1765) wrote to satirically signal earthly apocalypse: "Atheists have been rare, since nature’s birth; Till now, she-atheists ne’er appear’d on earth."<ref>[http://www.salon.com/2013/07/21/from_hitchens_to_dawkins_where_are_the_women_of_new_atheism/ From Hitchens to Dawkins: Where are the women of New Atheism?]</ref> In a letter written in the 1760s, the English essayist Bonnell Thornton wrote: "Good God! A Female Atheist! … One is not half so shocked at the idea of a Female Murderer; A Female Murderer, in the worse of senses, of her own children, of herself."<ref>[http://www.salon.com/2013/07/21/from_hitchens_to_dawkins_where_are_the_women_of_new_atheism/ From Hitchens to Dawkins: Where are the women of New Atheism?]</ref> In 1813, the prominent doctor Thomas Cogan (founder of the Royal Humane Society) declared: "Men contemplate a female atheist with more disgust and horror than if she possessed the hardest features embossed with carbuncles."<ref>[http://www.salon.com/2013/07/21/from_hitchens_to_dawkins_where_are_the_women_of_new_atheism/ From Hitchens to Dawkins: Where are the women of New Atheism?]</ref>
→Atheism and women
A 2009 article in LiveScience.com entitled ''Women More Religious Than Men'' reported: "A new analysis of survey data finds women pray more often then men, are more likely to believe in God, and are more religious than men in a variety of other ways...The latest findings, released Friday, are no surprise, only confirming what other studies have found for decades. <ref>[http://www.livescience.com/7689-women-religious-men.html ''Women More Religious Than Men'']</ref> In 2007, the Pew Research Center found that American women were more religious than American men.<ref>http://www.livescience.com/culture/090227-religion-men-women.html</ref>
A 2009 article in LiveScience.com entitled ''Women More Religious Than Men'' reported: "A new analysis of survey data finds women pray more often then men, are more likely to believe in God, and are more religious than men in a variety of other ways...The latest findings, released Friday, are no surprise, only confirming what other studies have found for decades. <ref>[http://www.livescience.com/7689-women-religious-men.html ''Women More Religious Than Men'']</ref> In 2007, the Pew Research Center found that American women were more religious than American men.<ref>http://www.livescience.com/culture/090227-religion-men-women.html</ref>
==== Large atheist group survey and atheist meetings ====
==== Large atheist group survey and atheist meetings ====
Surveys suggest most atheists are white men. A recent survey of 4,000 members of the Freedom from Religion Foundation found that 95 percent were white, and men comprised a majority.<ref>http://blog.beliefnet.com/news/2011/01/atheists-diversity-woes-have-n.php</ref>}}
Surveys suggest most atheists are white men. A recent survey of 4,000 members of the Freedom from Religion Foundation found that 95 percent were white, and men comprised a majority.<ref>http://blog.beliefnet.com/news/2011/01/atheists-diversity-woes-have-n.php</ref>}}
For more information please see:
*[[Atheism and women]]
*[[Atheism and rape]]
*[[Elevatorgate]]
*[http://www.quantcast.com/samharris.org]
== Atheist PZ Myers says atheists are largely a population of internet nerds and geeks ==
''See also:'' [[Atheist nerds]] and [[Internet atheism]] and [[Atheism and marriage]] and [[Atheism and women]] and [[Atheism and social outcasts]]
''See also:'' [[Atheist nerds]] and [[Internet atheism]] and [[Atheism and marriage]] and [[Atheism and women]] and [[Atheism and social outcasts]]
{{cquote|A crisis looms, in Myers's view, because he looks around himself and sees a not very promising basis for a mass movement. He's right. There is indeed a quality of geeky isolation from reality, common sense, and the fullness of life that I see as a motif in atheist and Darwin activism alike.<ref>[http://www.evolutionnews.org/2013/04/in_seattle_pz_m070861.html in Seattle, PZ Myers Reflects Candidly on His Constituency]</ref>}}
{{cquote|A crisis looms, in Myers's view, because he looks around himself and sees a not very promising basis for a mass movement. He's right. There is indeed a quality of geeky isolation from reality, common sense, and the fullness of life that I see as a motif in atheist and Darwin activism alike.<ref>[http://www.evolutionnews.org/2013/04/in_seattle_pz_m070861.html in Seattle, PZ Myers Reflects Candidly on His Constituency]</ref>}}
For more information please see: [[Internet atheism]] and [[Atheist nerds]]
For more information please see:
== Atheism and marriageability ==
== Atheism and marriageability ==