Hackerdom is still predominantly male. However, the percentage
of women is clearly higher than the low-single-digit range
typical for technical professions, and female hackers are
generally respected and dealt with as equals.
In the U.S., hackerdom is predominantly Caucasian with strong
minorities of Jews (East Coast) and Orientals (West Coast). The
Jewish contingent has exerted a particularly pervasive cultural
influence (see Food, above, and note
that several common jargon terms are obviously mutated
Yiddish).
The ethnic distribution of hackers is understood by them to be
a function of which ethnic groups tend to seek and value
education. Racial and ethnic prejudice is notably uncommon and
tends to be met with freezing contempt.
When asked, hackers often ascribe their culture's gender- and
color-blindness to a positive effect of text-only network
channels, and this is doubtless a powerful influence. Also, the
ties many hackers have to AI research and SF literature may have
helped them to develop an idea of personhood that is inclusive
rather than exclusive -- after all, if one's imagination readily
grants full human rights to future AI programs, robots, dolphins,
and extraterrestrial aliens, mere color and gender can't seem
very important any more.
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