Blogher has (temporarily) re-defined mixed emotions for me. I am encouraged that there is an opportunity for creating and sustaining a learning community of women who blog. I am impressed with the list of women bloggers who are involved (particularly Rebecca Blood and Nancy White). I am mildly offended at the implication that women, who represent the majority of bloggers in the blogoshpere, need this conference. I am surprised that a group who proposes to promote blogging feels like the blogosphere is somehow segregated by sex and that discussion that includes only a token invitation to the opposite sex will somehow remedy that situation. But then, I understand that the conference is in California and it has a wonderfully catchy name...that explains a lot, and makes it OK (insert sneer). Enough smart a** rant. This sounds like an excellent conference opportunity and I would encourage anyone (even women) who have an interest in the blogging community to attend. I'll be on the sidelines, several thousand miles away, pouting...but enjoying the feed from fellow-ette bloggers at the meeting (meow).
If you are not able to attend the gathering of bloghers and you happen to be in the Nashville area May 5-7, 2005, let me invite you to join the discussion at BlogNashville!...registration ratio so far is roughly 15%/85%, women to men...draw your own conclusions.