Celeste Wincapaw Carleton University Geography Department 1125 Colonel By Drive Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6 Canada LETTER OF INTRODUCTION #1 For self-identified lesbians who read or post to the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transsexual Sections of the National Capital Freenet) Dear ________________________________ I am a graduate student in the Department of Geography at Carleton University where I am currently writing a thesis on the National Capital Freenet in order to fulfill the requirements for a Master's degree. The thesis is entitled "Finding the Dyke Next Door: The Feminist and the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered Sections of the National Capital Freenet as Sites for Lesbian Connection." My research includes: 1) a survey of the lesbian, female bisexual, and transgendered users of the Feminist and Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transsexual sections of the National Capital Freenet and 2) interviews with volunteers at the National Capital Freenet. I am particularly interested in what you, as a lesbian, bisexual or transgendered woman have to say about your experiences with the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered sections of the National Capital Freenet. How often do you read or post? What kind of useful information have you found on the National Capital Freenet? Who have you met on the 'Net? Have you ever experienced harassment on the 'Net? How do you think lesbians are finding each other? These are the kind of questions I would like to ask you as part of a on women's experiences in the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered sections of National Capital Freenet. You may be wondering why I am only focusing on women's perceptions of the lesbian, bisexual, transgendered sections of the National Capital Freenet. I am doing this for four reasons: 1) Women compromise such a small percentage of Internet users that any random sample will contain more male than female responses; therefore, women-centred research must be done in order to get a numerically significant sample of women's responses. 2) I am concerned that lesbian voices are not being heard in studies of cyberspace; therefore, I set out to design a study where lesbian/bisexual/transgendered voices would not have to compete with male voices in order to be heard. 3) I specifically focus on the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transsexual sections of the National Capital Freenet because this is the only section of the NCF which publically uses the word lesbian in its title. It is an area that both straights and gays will recognize as gay space. Yet, are lesbians visible in these public gay spaces? 4) I am particularly interested in the similarities and differences amongst the women of the National Capital Freenet; therefore, I am assuming that a study of lesbian/bisexual/transgendered women of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transsexual sections of the National Capital Freenet will be a sizable project. The purpose of this study is to gather information on how the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered sections of the National Capital Freenet can/do act as sites for lesbian connection. I want to know the ways in which Freenet works (or doesn't work) for you. I am looking for everything from the most practical of suggestions to your biggest of dreams for lesbian cyberspace communities and electronic communications. To participate in this study, you have to: 1) "sign" the enclosed consent form which outlines your rights as part of this study 2) fill out a five page questionnaire 3) return both the consent form and the questionnaire to:"kwincapa@ccs.carleton.ca" by 15 August 1995. For greater confidentiality, you may also return it via regular mail to: Celeste Wincapaw, Geography Department, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 4G6 Canada. I will reimburse you for postage. If you would like additional information about the survey, please contact me at: 1)"kwincapa@ccs.carleton.ca" 2) (613) 788-2600 x.1836 before 15 August 1995. Also, if you are interested in finding feminist and/or lesbian/bisexual resources on the Internet, I'd be happy to offer a few suggestions. I welcome your comments and questions. Yours sincerely, Celeste Wincapaw ______________________ Celeste Wincapaw Carleton University Geography Department 1125 Colonel By Drive Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6 Canada LETTER OF CONSENT #1 (For women who use the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Sections of the National Capital Freenet) I,______________________________________, agree to participate in cyberspace research being conducted by Celeste Wincapaw, Master's student, Geography Department, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6 Canada. This research is being supervised by Dr. Fran Klodawsky, Geography Department, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6 Canada. I understand that this research will focus on my opinions and perceptions of Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered experiences on the National Capital Freenet. I know that my participation in this study is voluntary and I may withdraw from this study at any time. I understand that participation in this research will involve: --the completion of (1) four page questionnaire which may be submitted via electronic mail or regular mail. If the questionnaire is returned via e-mail, I understand that e-mail systems are not entirely private and sometimes e-mail accounts may be unknowingly monitored. While I know that Celeste Wincapaw will do everything within her control to keep her e- mail private, I will not hold her responsible if someone accesses her account(s) without her knowledge. --if I wish, I may phone Celeste Wincapaw at (613) 528-4097 (collect) and she will mail a survey with an envelope and stamp. I may also decide to get the information via e-mail but to return it via snail mail. Celeste will reimburse me for mailing costs, upon request. --complete confidentiality. Only Celeste Wincapaw and Fran Klodawsky will have access to the questionnaires. --protection of my identity. My name, e-mail address, and any other personal identifiers will be omitted or changed before the research is presented to anyone other than Celeste Wincapaw or Fran Klodawsky. I understand that this research will result in a Master's thesis which will be available at the Carleton University library or electronically from the author. The research may also be presented at conferences or published. I realize that I must be female (includes transsexuals) in order to participate in this survey. I also know that if I am under the age of eighteen, my parent and/or guardian must consent to my participation in this survey. Name of survey participant: Name of parent or guardian (if applicable) Date: _____________________________________ Celeste Wincapaw Carleton University Geography Department 1125 Colonel By Drive Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6 Canada DRAFT SURVEY #1 (For lesbians, lesbian identified bisexuals, and lesbian-identified transsexual women of the National Capital Freenet) Note: Be sure to read and understand the attached letter and consent form before you complete this questionnaire. ACCESSING THE NATIONAL CAPITAL FREENET 1. How did you learn to use the National Capital Freenet? (Please check as many as needed) a. from a friend b. from someone at home c. from someone at school d. from someone at work e. I am self-taught f. other 2. What (if anything) made it difficult for you to access the National Capital Freenet? (Please check as many as needed) a. lack of computer skills b. lack of money for a computer c. lack of time to learn how to use the National Capital Freenet d. other (please describe) e. nothing was difficult about accessing the National Capital Freenet 3. How did you find the GAY-LES-BI-TRANS section of the National Capital Freenet? a. I found it myself. b. a friend told me about it. c. other (please describe) 4. How often do you read the GAY-LES-BI-TRANS sections of the National Capital Freenet? a. more than once a day b. once a day c. two to five times a week d. once a week e. once a month f. once every few months g. I don't know because I am a new user. 5. How often (if ever) do you post to the GAY-LES-BI- TRANS SIG of the National Capital Freenet? a. more than once a day b. once a day c. two to five times a week d. once a week e. once a month f. once every few months g. I don't know because I am a new user. 6. How comfortable do you feel posting to the GAY-LES- BI-TRANS SIG of the National Capital Freenet? a. extremely comfortable b. comfortable c. somewhat uncomfortable (please explain) d. very uncomfortable (please explain) 7. Have you met any GAY-LES-BI-TRANS women on the National Capital Freenet? a. no b. no, I use it to keep in touch with people I already know b. yes, but I have never met them in person c. yes, and I have met them in person 8. Do you think that there are enough GAY-LES-BI-TRANS women using the GAY-LES-BI-TRANS section of the National Capital Freenet? a. yes b. no c. don't know 9. Have you ever experienced anti-lesbian comments while using the GAY-LES-BI-TRANS SIG? a. yes b. no If yes, please describe: 1) the source of the comments, 2) the comments; and 3) your feeelings about the comments 10. Where are you most often accessing the GLBT sections of the National Capital Freenet? (Please check one) a. at home b. at work c. at a public terminal d. at school e. other (please describe) 11. Is this a lesbian-friendly place (where you are accessing the National Capital Freenet)? a. yes b. no c. sometimes (please explain) 12. How important is the GAY-LES-BI-TRANS SIG to you? a. extremely important b. somewhat important c. minimally important USING THE NATIONAL CAPITAL FREENET TO ACCESS OTHER LESBIAN RESOURCES 13. For what LESBIAN PURPOSES do you use your National Capital Freenet account? Please check as many as are applicable and indicate the frequency of your use) a. e-mail personal correspondence with other lesbians times per week 0 1 2 3 4 5 6+ b. e-mail business/academic correspondence on lesbian issues times per week 0 1 2 3 4 5 6+ c. read about lesbian issues on Usenet bulletin boards (like lesbian.feminist.poetry) times per week 0 1 2 3 4 5 6+ d. post about lesbian issues on Usenet bulletin boards (like lesbian.feminist.poetry) times per week 0 1 2 3 4 5 6+ e. read mail from a lesbian listserve (like Dykenet) times per week 0 1 2 3 4 5 6+ f. post mail to a lesbian listserve (like Dykenet) g. search for lesbian information (via gopher, library connection, World Wide Web, etc.) times per week 0 1 2 3 4 5 6+ h. use IRC to talk on a lesbian channel times per week 0 1 2 3 4 5 6+ YOUR ADVICE 14. If another lesbian-identified woman from the National Capital Freenet came to you for advice on how to find LESBIAN CONVERSATIONS on or through the NCF, where would you tell that person to look? 15. What advice would you give other lesbians about avoiding and or dealing with anti-lesbian hate speech while using the National Capital Freenet? TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF 16. Where do you live? (only include City, Province/State, Country): 17. If you live in the greater Ottawa area, what is your postal code? 18. Do you have another e-mail or Internet account? a. yes b. no 19. Your age? (please check one) a. less than 19 b. 19-29 c. 30-39 d. 40-49 e. 50-59 f. 60 or older 20. Your Race? (Please check more than one, if necessary) a. Black b. Asian c. Native d. White e. Hispanic f. Not listed (please describe) 21. Your educational background? (Please check one): a. Have not completed high school b. Have completed high school c. Have completed some college or university d. Have college diploma e. Have one university degree f. Have more than one university degree 22. Your primary occupation? (Please check as many as are applicable) a. domestic labourer b. child care worker c. office work (clerical) d. office work (professional) e. retail or service worker f. retail or service manager/owner g. health care professional h. educator i. student j. unemployed k. manual laborer l. other (please specify) 23. What is your personal annual income? (Please check one) a. less than $10,000 b. $10,000-20,000 c. $20,000-30,000 d. $30,000-40,000 e. $40,000-50,000 f. $50,000 plus 24. What languages do you read and write? a. English b. French c. Spanish d. Other (please list) 25. Do you have a disability? (Please check as many as are applicable) a. I am blind or have a visual impairment b. I am deaf or have a hearing impairment c. I cannot speak or have a speech impairment d. I have difficulty walking or use a wheelchair e. other (please describe) Remember to return this survey to me at "kcw@cnwl.igs.net" or snail mail it to me at: Celeste Wincapaw, Geography Department, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6. When I receive your survey, I'll send you a copy of my list of lesbian 'net resources. Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions. I welcome any questions or comments about this survey or my research.