[Year 12 IT Apps] For 2016 - Gender inclusivity

Mon May 25 16:12:27 AEST 2015

Compression on toilet door signs adds a whole new dimension to zipping and
unzipping  :-)

On 25 May 2015 at 15:19, Roland Gesthuizen <rgesthuizen at gmail.com> wrote:

> Thanks Laurie
>
> I laugh at the spelling mistakes on building and toilet doors, I can read
> the bumps on lift well buttons and on the top of the fast food coffee cups
> .. only in the day light as I am reading this by sight! I learned this when
> I needed a distraction whilst doing my Dip Ed. I failed miserably as a
> braille reader but I have oodles of respect for how our brains work and the
> challenges faced by students with a visual disability.
>
> What many don’t realise is braille isnt just a 26 x letters for dot
> conversion, this is called uncontracted braille (or I think of it as
> uncompressed). To speed things up there are symbols for letter combinations
> and words or contracted brail .. six full dots represents the word FOR.
> Cool data compression!) Not bad for a two by three grid of six dots.
> http://braillebug.afb.org/braille_deciphering.asp
>
> I guess that builders often ask an apprentice to do the sign construction
> under the toilet pictograph . The apprentice groans, looks it upon his
> mobile, hits the wikipedia page and types in the uncompressed code when
> setting up his engraving machine for room signs etc . Nobody checks this
> work until the first visually impaired user runs their hand over the toilet
> door and chuckles.
>
> Great to share with students, I use it to explain what it means to
> compress data to increase the transmission rate.
>
> —
>
> *Roland GESTHUIZEN*http://about.me/rgesthuizen
>
> On 25 May 2015, at 1:29 pm, Laurie Savage <08327998 at pvgc.vic.edu.au>
> wrote:
>
> Sight reading braille! I'm always amused (I'm sorry, this is very non-PC)
> by the Braille on the toilet doors of my local Cinema.
>
> Laurie Savage
> https://sites.google.com/a/pvgc.vic.edu.au/mr-savage/home
>
> On 25 May 2015 at 13:01, Roland Gesthuizen <rgesthuizen at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Left hand icon for the lads is missing a sporran ;-)
>>
>> Actually, there is a quite a community around uni-sex pictograms. (one of
>> my rusty talents is sight-reading braille)
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unisex_public_toilet
>>
>> When we get past the obvious giggles and political bias, there is a great
>> learning opportunity for our subject and an chance to have a powerful
>> discussion.
>>
>> It is easy build a library database using a simple Boolean option of male
>> and female, a simple binary choice
>>
>> .. after leading students towards this trap.
>>
>> Consider the cultural arrogance if the default entry was “male".
>>
>> Why is it better to call this category “Gender” instead of “Sex” (I teach
>> biology
>>
>> How would a transgender individual feel about only being able to choose M
>> or F?
>>
>> Was a binary choice the best option? Australian passports now cater for
>> other genders
>> https://www.passports.gov.au/web/sexgenderapplicants.aspx
>>
>> And lastly. Seriously, why are we collecting this information and how
>> will we intend to use it?
>>
>> All this is a great example of how database design can transmit cultural
>> information, reinforce ignorance and bias.
>>
>> Lassie, only use this power for good and do no evil.
>>
>> —
>>
>> *Roland GESTHUIZEN*http://about.me/rgesthuizen
>>
>> On 25 May 2015, at 9:47 am, Laurie Savage <08327998 at pvgc.vic.edu.au>
>> wrote:
>>
>> Damn those scots!
>>
>> <scottishRestrooms.png>
>>
>>
>> Laurie Savage
>> https://sites.google.com/a/pvgc.vic.edu.au/mr-savage/home
>>
>> On 23 May 2015 at 17:43, ken price <kenjprice at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> You may have noticed many new toilets marked RH and LH.
>>>
>>> Eg
>>> http://www.bronsonsafety.com.au/media/catalog/product/cache/1/thumbnail/500x/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/u/n/unisex-toilet-rh-shower.png
>>> And
>>>
>>>
>>> http://www.bronsonsafety.com.au/media/catalog/product/cache/1/thumbnail/500x/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/u/n/unisex-toilet-lh.png
>>>
>>> Conveniently these can be misinterpreted as being for right and left
>>> handed people.
>>>
>>> It is surprising how gullible some students and staff can be about this,
>>> especially if there are more RH than LH, because you can direct
>>> right-handers to "their" toilet and they notice nothing irregular.
>>>
>>> I leave this as an exercise for the reader.
>>>
>>> Ken.
>>>
>>> On Saturday, May 23, 2015, Robert Hind <robert at yinnar.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>>  Sorry to tell you Mark that those toilet identifiers are still
>>>> sexist. Perhaps we should work towards toilets that are just toilets rather
>>>> than being for men or for women - just like at home or on the aeroplane.
>>>>
>>>> Robert Hind
>>>> Retired
>>>> Ex Traralgon and Ashwood
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> *From:* Mark
>>>> *To:* Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List
>>>> *Sent:* Saturday, May 23, 2015 11:29 AM
>>>> *Subject:* [Year 12 IT Apps] For 2016 - Gender inclusivity
>>>>
>>>> Hi, toilet-door admirers.
>>>>
>>>> Part of 2016 KK is gender inclusivity.
>>>> This article tells of the cunning plans for designing non-sexist toilet
>>>> identifiers.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> http://www.wired.com/2015/05/redesigned-ladies-restroom-icon-cleverly-skirts-skirt/
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>>
>>>>  "The more I learn about people, the more I like my dog." Mark Twain
>>>>
>>>> Mark Kelly
>>>> mark AT vceit DOT com
>>>> http://vceit.com
>>>>
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>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> --
>>> Dr Ken Price MACS CP ACCE Professional Associate.
>>> President, TASITE http://www.tasite.tas.edu.au
>>>
>>> _
>>
>>
-- 

>> Witty sig goes HERE <<

Mark Kelly
mark AT vceit DOT com
http://vceit.com
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