Brings to mind a gal I had in a C class I took. Complained that the copy-paste-straight-from-the-book homework was due before the subject matter was covered in class, and angrily told the prof. to 'stop talking like that' because he dared to use words like 'simple' and 'easy.'
Oh wonderful. Yeah, I was often one of two or three girls in my class when I started, and the only girl left at the end!
The problem is that girls are being encouraged too strongly to become programmers. Women make excellent maintenance programmers, and the reason why so many of them do data entry isn't just because they don't have the intelligence for something better. In fact, the QWERTY typewriter was created because of women, whose typing skills exceeded the speed limit necessary to prevent keyjams. It's important, though, to understand where a lot of women do a good job, and to not push them into something most of them are not good at, while not preventing those who Can from reaching out!
Computers was originally an excellent area for this, as geek guys generally will accept as 'one of them' any woman who can keep up. (At least, they did in the 80's and 90's. The skepticism has increased since more women have been pushed further than they feel comfortable. Luckily, all I have to do is say 'quad-core' and I'm 'in'.)
Notice I've been saying 'most women' and I mentioned not preventing those who can? I'm one of those who can. In fact, I can't do the type of maintenance and data entry work where so many women excel. I've got a numbers dyslexia (my father and grandfather assure me it'll worsen over time) and my SAT math score exceeded the verbal.
Ok, I wandered a bit, so let me summarize. There are a number of people trying to push women into hardcore computer jobs, and a number of people who oppose it.
In favor: Human Resources, liberal college administrators, the kind of parents who want you to be a doctor or lawyer, feminists
Not in favor: Male programmers, female programmers (the ones who 'made it' like me), immediate managers, customers, most of the women themselves (ever tried to consider what it's like for your self-esteem to be pushed into something you're not suited to and told repeatedly that you're smart enough to do it when you have neither the inclination nor the proficiency?)
rhjunior
Aaaah... Programming and wymmyn!
Re: Aaaah... Programming and wymmyn!
The problem is that girls are being encouraged too strongly to become programmers. Women make excellent maintenance programmers, and the reason why so many of them do data entry isn't just because they don't have the intelligence for something better. In fact, the QWERTY typewriter was created because of women, whose typing skills exceeded the speed limit necessary to prevent keyjams. It's important, though, to understand where a lot of women do a good job, and to not push them into something most of them are not good at, while not preventing those who Can from reaching out!
Computers was originally an excellent area for this, as geek guys generally will accept as 'one of them' any woman who can keep up. (At least, they did in the 80's and 90's. The skepticism has increased since more women have been pushed further than they feel comfortable. Luckily, all I have to do is say 'quad-core' and I'm 'in'.)
Notice I've been saying 'most women' and I mentioned not preventing those who can? I'm one of those who can. In fact, I can't do the type of maintenance and data entry work where so many women excel. I've got a numbers dyslexia (my father and grandfather assure me it'll worsen over time) and my SAT math score exceeded the verbal.
Ok, I wandered a bit, so let me summarize. There are a number of people trying to push women into hardcore computer jobs, and a number of people who oppose it.
In favor: Human Resources, liberal college administrators, the kind of parents who want you to be a doctor or lawyer, feminists
Not in favor: Male programmers, female programmers (the ones who 'made it' like me), immediate managers, customers, most of the women themselves (ever tried to consider what it's like for your self-esteem to be pushed into something you're not suited to and told repeatedly that you're smart enough to do it when you have neither the inclination nor the proficiency?)
Re: Aaaah... Programming and wymmyn!
Re: Aaaah... Programming and wymmyn!