Nice Guys, Virgins, and Incels: Gender in Remixing and Sharing Memes at Hackathons

Title of the Paper

Nice Guys, Virgins, and Incels: Gender in Remixing and Sharing Memes at Hackathons

Paper Information

• Domain: Cultural Studies, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Gender Studies, Internet Culture
• Keywords: Gender, Memes, Hackathons, Ethnography, Gender Discrimination, Programming, Culture

Research Background and Problem

• Problem or Challenge:

  • Hackathons, as a representation of technological culture, promise innovation and inclusivity, yet gender diversity remains a significant issue.
  • Memes in internet culture are often dominated by male perspectives, which may reinforce male dominance in tech spaces and propagate harmful gender stereotypes.
  • Few studies have focused on analyzing the social culture of hackathons and its impact on gender equality.

• Significance:

  • Investigating how memes reflect and reshape gender relations offers a novel perspective for understanding the roots of gender discrimination in technological culture.
  • As key venues for technological innovation and social interaction, the inclusivity and gender perceptions within hackathons are crucial for the future development of tech culture.

• Motivation and Related Work:

  • Previous research has extensively explored the technical development and educational significance of hackathons, but little attention has been paid to their role as cultural spaces for gender socialization and interaction.
  • This study addresses a gap in academic research on gender construction in technological culture, particularly the role of memes in this process.

Solution

• Methods and Solution:

  • This study employs multi-sited ethnography, documenting cultural behaviors at seven hackathon events, with a focus on the social role of meme creation and sharing.
  • Data collection includes participant observation (involvement in hackathon organization and competitions) and virtual observation (analyzing meme sharing on Discord).

• Innovative Contributions:

  • Treating memes as cultural artifacts, the study analyzes their role in the technological cultural field, particularly how humor reinforces male-dominated cultural structures.
  • Introducing the concept of "augmented identity" to explore how memes express and reshape culture in both physical and virtual spaces.

• Implementation Steps and Techniques:

  • Conducting in-depth participant observation using ethnographic methods, including informal discussions with participants and recording both onsite and online interactions.
  • Utilizing image elicitation and thematic analysis to interpret the cultural significance of memes in specific contexts.

Research Findings

• Specific Findings:

  • Memes at hackathons serve not only as tools for humor and social interaction but also as crucial mediums for defining cultural boundaries and reinforcing group identity.
  • Hackathon memes reflect the male-dominated characteristics of tech culture, with archetypes such as "Nice Guy," "Virgin," and "Chad" embodying implicit gender stereotypes.
  • Memes reinforce the boundaries of "geek male gender culture," creating invisible barriers to female participation.

• Comparison with Existing Solutions and Advantages:

  • Demonstrates how memes as cultural symbols enhance identity and social norms in tech spaces, complementing prior research that focused solely on technical output.
  • Highlights the potential for humor and satire to perpetuate structural gender inequalities, offering a deeper understanding of gender issues in tech culture.

• Experimental or Evaluation Results:

  • Observations of meme sharing reveal that prominent male cultural figures, such as Incels (involuntary celibates), Virgins, and Chads, are closely tied to hackathon themes and interactions.
  • Findings confirm that despite organizers' efforts to promote inclusivity, the local expressions of humor and internet culture harbor gender biases and structural issues.

• Limitations and Future Directions:

  • Limitations:
    • The study did not directly interview female participants, requiring further exploration of their experiences.
    • COVID-19 restrictions limited onsite ethnographic observation, potentially affecting the comprehensiveness of the results.
  • Future Directions:
    • Incorporate direct participant interviews to better understand female perspectives.
    • Explore differences in meme creation and dissemination between genders.
    • Expand research to include a broader range of tech activities, including online and hybrid-format hackathons.

Practical Recommendations

1. Gender-Neutral Branding Design: Avoid male-oriented language and design in hackathon marketing; promote diversity in representation.
2. Dedicated Support Spaces for Women: Provide separate discussion areas for women and other minority groups on online platforms.
3. Avoid Gendered Terminology: Refrain from using terms like "geek" or "hacker" that carry gender biases.
4. Transparent Inclusivity Measures: Clearly communicate inclusivity policies during event planning and execution, emphasizing that technical expertise is not a prerequisite.

Conclusion

This study reveals how meme culture at hackathons perpetuates gender stereotypes within tech culture through humor and symbolic systems. It provides insights for improving hackathons and broader tech culture, advocating for more inclusive and diverse approaches to challenge entrenched gender norms.