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Director of Women's Chess
Posted: Mon Feb 26, 2018 4:23 pm
by Roger de Coverly
It will be recalled that it took a certain amount of persistence to get the post created, starting with at least one failed motion to ECF Council meetings.
It appears the ECF Directors have gone off the idea, preferring instead the notion of a more general post to handle "development".
From the minutes
http://www.englishchess.org.uk/wp-conte ... y-2018.pdf
9.
Report on the Role of Director of Women’s Chess (JC & TW)
Following discussion, the Board believes that having the role of a Director of Women’s Chess did not necessarily address the right problems. The Board believes that massive attrition in the transition from primary to secondary and the lack of a welcoming environment for girls are the main causes for the imbalance in men and women actively playing chess. Because these might better be tackled at junior level, the Board resolved to remove the Director of Women’s Chess role from the ECF website and to prepare a paper on what a new Development Director role, focussing on these and other problems in English chess, might look like.
MP took a dissenting view, that there was a role for a Director of Women’s Chess,
for example advising on how tournaments and clubs could be made more welcoming
for women and trying to develop links with women's organisations or dealt with
women's issues. MP agreed with MT that the problem had been a lack of suitable
candidates coming forward.
The proposal was carried with one abstention, one against.
Re: Director of Women's Chess
Posted: Mon Feb 26, 2018 5:15 pm
by NickFaulks
Roger de Coverly wrote: ↑Mon Feb 26, 2018 4:23 pm
It appears the ECF Directors have gone off the idea, preferring instead the notion of a more general post to handle "development".
You can't help feeling that if the ideal candidate suddenly walked in and volunteered for the position, it would be revived.
Re: Director of Women's Chess
Posted: Mon Feb 26, 2018 9:04 pm
by Andrew Zigmond
The ECF did have a Manager Of Women's Chess prior to the position being upgraded to a board level position. I believe Sarah Longson is quoted in a previous set of board minutes as saying that her role would have to be largely strategic as she had no operating budget.
I agree entirely with what Malcolm Pein is quoted as saying regarding the role of a Director of Women's Chess and certainly more needs to be done to encourage women to the game BUT I don't understand he considers this to be necessary at board level when the equally important role of Manager of Disabled Chess currently sits outside of the board. On that subject I feel there is a strong case for a Manager of Youth (18-30) chess.
Re: Director of Women's Chess
Posted: Tue Feb 27, 2018 8:48 am
by Jonathan Rogers
Yes, well. There is probably only one demographic in English chess - middle aged to elderly white middle class men - which is
not in need of special measures
Re: Director of Women's Chess
Posted: Tue Feb 27, 2018 10:30 am
by Kevin Thurlow
"Yes, well. There is probably only one demographic in English chess - middle aged to elderly white middle class men - which is not in need of special measures "
At least we have the "satisfaction" of paying for everybody else!
Re: Director of Women's Chess
Posted: Tue Feb 27, 2018 11:57 am
by Angus French
Andrew Zigmond wrote: ↑Mon Feb 26, 2018 9:04 pm
I believe Sarah Longson is quoted in a previous set of board minutes as saying that her role would have to be largely strategic as she had no operating budget.
There
is a budget for Women's chess - it's £5K. See the
2017/18 detailed forecast and budget.
Re: Director of Women's Chess
Posted: Tue Feb 27, 2018 12:54 pm
by Jonathan Bryant
NickFaulks wrote: ↑Mon Feb 26, 2018 5:15 pm
Roger de Coverly wrote: ↑Mon Feb 26, 2018 4:23 pm
It appears the ECF Directors have gone off the idea, preferring instead the notion of a more general post to handle "development".
You can't help feeling that if the ideal candidate suddenly walked in and volunteered for the position, it would be revived.
Perhaps. Although I do wonder why it is that the position has been so difficult to fill and why the ECF would be waiting for "an ideal candidate" to suddenly make themselves know.
I suppose we should be grateful that nobody has yet said,
"The view has been expressed that most of the position of Director of Women’s chess is vacant. We did not notice this. I think that demonstrates we are not biased."
(
http://streathambrixtonchess.blogspot.c ... euben.html)
For what it’s worth, the appointment of Mike Truran notwithstanding, I don’t think the ECF has been great on diversity for decades
(
http://streathambrixtonchess.blogspot.c ... .html#more)
The long-term toleration of nonsense like
"If more females played chess so would more males" (
viewtopic.php?f=25&t=6967&start=135#p172295)
and
"I try to get the attractive females interviewed."
(
http://streathambrixtonchess.blogspot.c ... -nine.html)
rather believing in and promoting a message that runs something along the lines of
We aim to encourage more women to play chess for no other reason than we would like to encourage participation amongst groups that are currently under-represented in chess. We reject any statement or implication that the ECF welcomes women for the benefits that they bring male players.
takes it’s toll in the end.
FWIW (!) I don’t think there are easy solutions here.
FWIW(2) English chess is far from alone in having a diversity problem.
Neither of these justifies failing to acknowledge and move on from problematic behaviours and attitudes from the past, though.
Re: Director of Women's Chess
Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2018 5:04 pm
by Stewart Reuben
Jonathan Bryant >The long-term toleration of nonsense like "If more females played chess so would more males"<
Why is that nonense? I have a male friend who was involved in chess competitively and administratively for many, many years. He gave it up in favour of bridge because far more women play that game.
I realise that is arguing from a specific case, to the general, but it is hard to believe that it doesn't hold true.
Re: Director of Women's Chess
Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2018 6:04 pm
by Roger de Coverly
It makes complete sense, but it's one of those thoughts you aren't supposed to have in the opinion of some who post here.
Re: Director of Women's Chess
Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2018 6:31 pm
by IM Jack Rudd
I'm not sure I'd go as far as calling the opinion in question nonsense, but I would categorize it as unhelpful and counterproductive. If you want to get more women playing, you need to concentrate on ways to market the game to women, and on making women feel valued in their own right.
Re: Director of Women's Chess
Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2018 7:44 pm
by JustinHorton
Give me strength
Re: Director of Women's Chess
Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2018 5:17 pm
by John McKenna
And she said, The Philistines be upon thee... And he woke out of his sleep...
Re: Director of Women's Chess
Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2018 9:42 pm
by E Michael White
Jonathan Bryant wrote: ↑Tue Feb 27, 2018 12:54 pm
FWIW (!) I don’t think there are easy solutions here.
FWIW(2) English chess is far from alone in having a diversity problem.
Could try asking known returners like Gillian Moore and Deborah Pass why they returned and also those who never gave up why they didn't. Might be better information than old men guessing.
Re: Director of Women's Chess
Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2018 7:13 pm
by Carl Hibbard
A post was removed from this one.
Re: Director of Women's Chess
Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2018 8:19 pm
by NickFaulks
Carl Hibbard wrote: ↑Sun Mar 11, 2018 7:13 pm
A post was removed from this one.
That's a shame.