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@dhh and @rafaelfranca recently announced that the Rails core team has switched the default project branch from "master" to "main."
I think this is awesome. Predictably, a bunch of white tech bros disagree. Their replies generally fall into a few categories:
I think this is awesome. Predictably, a bunch of white tech bros disagree. Their replies generally fall into a few categories:
1. "Nobody is actually offended by the word 'master'"
This is just not true. Also, notice that anybody else who says they're offended is written off as an anomaly. It's almost like it doesn't actually matter how other people feel...
This is just not true. Also, notice that anybody else who says they're offended is written off as an anomaly. It's almost like it doesn't actually matter how other people feel...
2. "Changing the branch name won't fix racism"
Uh... yeah. No one thing will "fix racism," but if a small change could make tech and open source just a bit more welcoming, why wouldn't we do it?
Uh... yeah. No one thing will "fix racism," but if a small change could make tech and open source just a bit more welcoming, why wouldn't we do it?
3. "The word 'master' has other contexts besides its historical relation to slavery"
Slavery may not be the first thing YOU think of when you hear the word "master," but it is for some people. The intention behind the word does not matter as much as the IMPACT it has on people.
Slavery may not be the first thing YOU think of when you hear the word "master," but it is for some people. The intention behind the word does not matter as much as the IMPACT it has on people.
4. "We shouldn't bring politics into tech"
Everything is political. Just because the politics benefit people like you doesn't mean they don't exist. Black people (and others) are told every day they don't belong in tech -- that is political.
Everything is political. Just because the politics benefit people like you doesn't mean they don't exist. Black people (and others) are told every day they don't belong in tech -- that is political.
5. "You're excluding anyone who isn't a SJW from contributing to your project"
For a bunch of dudes who spend hours arguing over word definitions, you don't seem to understand the meaning of the word "exclusion." Welcoming others does not exclude you! This isn't hard!
For a bunch of dudes who spend hours arguing over word definitions, you don't seem to understand the meaning of the word "exclusion." Welcoming others does not exclude you! This isn't hard!
6. "Why don't you do something actually impactful like feed African children?"
... Somebody actually wrote this. They thought this thought and then they wrote it down for the world to see. Do I need to explain how racist and gross this is? I hope not.
... Somebody actually wrote this. They thought this thought and then they wrote it down for the world to see. Do I need to explain how racist and gross this is? I hope not.
All this to say -- does changing "master" to "main" magically make tech inclusive? NO. This is one small thing we can do in addition to other, higher-impact changes that need to be made.
However, if this is how people respond to a simple name change, then I hate to imagine what these same people would say to a coworker calling out racism in the workplace or fighting against unfair hiring practices.
If you're a white person thinking that this is dumb or that it doesn't matter, consider that not everyone has the same experience as you. Not everyone feels as welcome as you. If we can make one small change that improves the Ruby community, why wouldn't you support it?
