In the vast realm of the internet, where information reigns supreme and you can always find a good selection of thirst trap pics of Pedro Pascal, one historic monument stands solid: Wikipedia. With millions of articles spanning countless topics, this digital treasure trove has become an indispensable source for seekers of knowledge worldwide—one that its online editors work hard to keep as trustworthy as possible. However, behind the scenes of this colossal encyclopaedia, a persistent problem has long plagued its content: Gender bias.

As stated in a recent episode of Al Jazeera’s The Stream, only 18 per cent of biographical articles on the English language version of Wikipedia are dedicated to women, and a few years ago, it was only 15 per cent. A staggering majority of the site’s content focuses on men, despite the incredible contributions women have made throughout history, science, and culture.

Fortunately, however, a group of courageous Wikipedia editors, also known as ‘Wikipedians’, have risen to the challenge and have begun to dedicate their time to reclaim the narrative and provide a more realistic and accurate historic female perspective.

The Stream shone a spotlight on these fierce female editors as they unveiled their strategies for combating gender bias on the free platform. Their weapons of choice? Determination, resilience, a commitment to equality and a seriously large supply of caffeine to keep them going.

One of their intricate tactics involves actively seeking out and highlighting articles about extraordinary women who have been unjustly overlooked by Wikipedia’s male-dominated team of editors. Through their tireless research and unwavering dedication, these Wikipedians strive to ensure that the stories of exceptional women are brought to light, celebrated, and immortalised within the virtual pages of the online encyclopaedia.

But their work doesn’t stop there. The group of female editors also pour their hearts and souls into revamping existing articles about women who have left their mark on history in one way or another, transforming them into comprehensive and accurate accounts of their subjects’ achievements.

They meticulously weave together the threads of forgotten narratives, shedding light on the brilliance and impact that women have had in every domain of human endeavour. The aim? To ensure that the stories of these unsung heroines are not buried in the annals of history, but rather, stand tall as beacons of inspiration for generations to come.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, Professor Jessica Wade from the prestigious Imperial College of London, and Wikipedia editor, shared a story about Donna Strickland, a woman who, despite being awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2018, did not have a Wikipedia page. Why, you may ask? The answer lies in the scarcity of references and citations that would prove her notability. This stark reality reflects a greater challenge faced by society at large—the recognition and celebration of women’s achievements.

You see, the issue runs much deeper than Wikipedia itself. Society has always struggled to adequately remember and recognise the contributions of women—an inefficiency that’s also led to a serious lack in mainstream media coverage.

This lack of acknowledgement then creates a rather frustrating cycle. Without sufficient sources to cite, Wikipedia editors struggle to build comprehensive profiles of these women.

Wade has had an extensive career where she’s advocated for change and urged scientists and society as a whole to bestow greater recognition upon women, people of colour, and historically marginalised groups.

The professor noted: “We need to give them awards, we need to be shouting for them on television and in radio programmes […] so that when encyclopaedias, historians and classroom teachers want to document them, when they going to look for them, they can have this type of place where they can go for knowledge.”

It’s about shaping the future. Another potent strategy employed by these Wikipedians is the recruitment of more women as editors. Shockingly, only a mere 20 per cent of Wikipedia’s editors are women—a statistic that urgently needs to be changed.

By diversifying the demographic of online editors, these women hope to reshape Wikipedia’s landscape, amplifying the voices of those previously left unheard and creating a more inclusive digital space.

When Mark Zuckerberg almost broke the internet—the dry toast memes did, not him so to speak—after officially introducing the world to Facebook’s (aka Meta’s) metaverse back in October 2021, one certainty became clear in most people’s minds. Zucko was about to face many of the same challenges he previously encountered on social media—like having to police harassment and regulate kids on his platforms—only this time, it would happen in the metaverse. Currently, the virtual platform is somewhat messy, experimental and, you guessed it, dominated by men. Though it will take us a while to solve the first two problems listed above, some companies are already looking into efficient ways to attract more women into the metaverse, and make them feel welcome too (so that they eventually stay in it).

Now picture this: you’re a female-identifying gen Zer. While you like to stay updated on what’s going on surrounding NFTs, the metaverse hype and cryptocurrencies, you’re also not that much into those things to be involved in the communities that have formed around them. And you probably already know why: it can be pretty intimidating trying to join male-dominated communities and virtual worlds, especially when the only experience you have to compare it to is social media platforms.

Enter female-led and sustainable Stockholm-based brand Rave Review and its upcoming launch of ‘CryptoPanties’ NFT collection created in collaboration with digital fashion collector RedDAO—an attempt at promoting diversity in the metaverse. The selection of panties as the entryway into the world of NFTs was an intentional one, as Rave Review shared in a press release. “The panties are an unexpected garment. Super feminine. It made the most sense to us to design pieces for the types of people we hope to see more of in the metaverse,” creative directors Josephine Bergqvist and Livia Schück explained.

 

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Like other NFT collections (which are more often than not geared towards men) the CryptoPanties will allow buyers—especially women, who are usually left out of the industry—to join an online community that is safe and welcoming. Rave Review’s precise goal for such new collectives is to gather the already existing high-end upcycling community on the blockchain.

But it’s not as easy as it sounds. To gently introduce women to the hows and whys of the metaverse, Rave Review has created an interactive play-by-play to get them started. “For one week, we will be releasing passwords through social media. When inserted to our website, they will unlock a number of challenges and get access to newcomer-friendly guiding instructions and FAQs,” the company shared. Completing these challenges will allow users to learn and explore crypto basics, sign up for pre-sales and gain early access to NFT reveals, all within a safe and accessible community.

Sales will open on 8 March 2022, International Women’s Day, on Rave Review’s CryptoPanties website.