In reply to A. Canton.

This is something that comes up and is often repeated. It's incorrect and is just another way of rationalizing not changing the "status quo".

This scholarship has been clearly represented to encourage the participation of women in the WordPress community. It is not discriminatory to help or invite groups that are clearly and demonstrably underrepresented in the community. It does not affect or devalue any existing group by encouraging the participation of others.

You can rationalize however you want, but discrimination is discrimination no matter how much you try to disguise it with so-called ‘good intentions.’

Discrimitation is defined as follows courtesy of a quick search engine query.

1. the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people or things, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex.

2. recognition and understanding of the difference between one thing and another.
"discrimination between right and wrong"

You're combining the first with the second. They're separate. When you treat someone badly that's the first. When you prefer Toblerone chocolate to Hershey's special dark that the second.

Saying that this is discrimination is like claiming school teachers who call on students in the back of the class is somehow discriminating on the students who sit in the front of the class. That's wrong, the voices of the whole class is valuable.

Your view and statement doesn't make you unpopular or picked upon. But it does continue to reinforce the view that everything is fine and all things are equal. That’s not the case.

Kim Parsell was a wonderful woman who got involved, made a difference and encouraged others to do the same. If this scholarship encourages just one woman to follow in her footsteps and have such an impact then that has to be a good thing.