Too Few Women In Tech? Stop Blaming The Men.

http://techcrunch.com/2010/08/28/women- ... laming-me/

Success in Silicon Valley, most would agree, is more merit driven than almost any other place in the world. It doesn’t matter how old you are, what sex you are, what politics you support or what color you are. If your idea rocks and you can execute, you can change the world and/or get really, stinking rich.

For some strange reason there are not many women in tech. That used to be the same at the school of mines. 25 years ago, I had a friend that was accepted and she was like one of 10. Now women make up something like 20% of school of mines. I know there are more women lawyers now than ever before. Is it just because they had to believe they could do it? Or is it just a women's mind against men's mind thing?

Thanks for that post. Although I didn't start my own business, I went into a tech field almost 20 years ago as one of very few women out there. I did have to go out and prove myself, even had to find out which companies wouldn't hire me because they didn't want a woman on their computers. I ended up as the only woman who worked with the survey crews and CAD systems for the company I was with. I know that women and men think differently, but I agree that it's wrong to blame the men for the lack of women in the tech field. It's not like they're trying to keep us out. (My only complaint is the lack of jobs right now.) It's not the Victorian Era. We are not limited to what jobs we can and can't do.

Both of my daughters graduated from the University of Colorado with a B.S. in Computer Science and Engineering. One has received her M.S. from CU and the other will receive her M.S. this December.
They were just two girls among many in the Computer Science department their freshman year. By the time they graduated with their B.S. they were quite alone in the department. What separated the majority of the girls from the boys? Advanced mathematics and male prejudice.
Junior and Senior years brought many conversations at the supper table about how my daughters were the only girls in so many of their classes. They were also not treated seriously by their instructors until they proved themselves, whereas the boys faced no such doubt. The girls had to do twice the work required of boys. Some of the male instructors were quite determined to see that females did not enter into the world of computer science.
I very seriously doubt that a laundress will become fantastically wealthy and successful in the Silicon Valley. It requires an education in the computer sciences. Becoming qualified to begin knocking on the door of technical success very much does involve prejudice against women. To acquire this education the females must crawl over the massive resistence of the male dominated educational CSE departments.

Wow Major Bean that is amazing to hear. I am very much into tech and have found most of the men I work with pretty interested in talking to a girl who likes tech. This is not in a school setting but most of them enjoy talking tech with me and teaching me too.

They also mostly like talking football. Fishing for me is a bit different. I have met some chauvinists at the lake. Along with others who think it is pretty cool to talk flies and bait.

Let me ask, CinnamonGirl, do those men stand still to be taught by you? Or is their teaching of you a condescension? A one-way street?

I do not know that much about them. They ask me questions occasionally. Mostly I am looking for more answers than they are.

Now at the lake and sports I have run into a few that are very threatened. Fishing is one that the guys DO NOT like me teaching them but then again I have met some nice guys too. About 1/3 do not have a problem and like to learn from me.

For the life of me I can't understand why men need to feel threatend by a woman who is interested in learning somehting about their field of expertise or why they would be reluctant to receive instrction or advice when wanting. This is not to say I do not believe these guys exist, as they definitly do. Likely it has to do with activation of cave man genes lol . It is my mission in life to encourage gilrs and women to believe in themselves to have confidence. Women may think aobut things differently, but different does not equate to not being able to understand. It simply means different. Aren't there gals out there who are hackers, really good hackers? These individuals lack a formal education but seemignly have an intuitive understanding of computers, just like some boys do. While educational systems may have their biased profs, most true educators could care less whether their bright student is a male or female. They get turned on by the student's ability to grasp what they are trying to teach. Give the guys some more time to adjust to the fact that there are many women out there who are every bit as bright if not brightere than they are. I do not see evolution practicing sexual discrimination when it comes to brains. Mostly i perceive it a social or cultural problem. But you know what they say? You can't keep a good (wo)man down. Oops, that certainly cna lead to some interesting comments. lol Bottom line, keep encouraging females to pursue their dreams, be they whatever they may be. I don't believe ther ie anythinf they can not accomplish if they put their minds to it.

As a sinister (lefthanded) consequence, the current atmosphere seems to produce women who are more competent than the men. It is because they have to superachieve in order to compete. The women who survive the process are intense competitors.

The women I have seen in Tech and Engineering seem to gravitate to program management and computers/software. And they do well too. I just don't see too many wanting to get their hands dirty and work on nuts and bolts Tech things. Just an observation.

Joe wrote: The women I have seen in Tech and Engineering seem to gravitate to program management and computers/software. And they do well too. I just don't see too many wanting to get their hands dirty and work on nuts and bolts Tech things. Just an observation.

If they are educated, why should they?