As if Women in Technology Didn’t Have it Tough Enough
October 30, 2007
The industry I work in is notoriously difficult for women. In my two years working in social media, I’ve been overlooked, belittled and even sexually harassed by prominent people in my own field simply because I’m young and female. Worse has happened to my female friends in the industry.
Now, a site called Dig a Silicon Valley Girl (no link! you’ll have to read the article on Mashable to find it) allows people to rank and categorize women in Silicon Valley as either “bimbos” or “geeks” and rank us on how hot we are.
I’m ABSOLUTELY FUCKING FED UP with how women are treated in the technology world and in the world in general. As those who know me will attest, I’m pretty difficult to offend. What offends me deeply is seeing women I respect being treated like brainless pieces of meat because they’re female and have chosen to work in the tech industry.
The links from Scoble’s site to Kathy Sierra’s blog didn’t work. Did she quit blogging? If so, that is really too bad.
First, they’re cowards - they don’t even say who they are.
Second, they’re grammar idiots - it’s AN SV girl, not A.
Third, it’s typical SV fraternity boy mindset, but keep in mind most of the people out here would be black-balled before getting into a fraternity because they have no game or skillz.
It’s not a surprise, but unfortunately there are too many women out here that play this part to the hilt. I can name a bunch - and it’s a shame, because they signify the beginning of the end to me, just like when the Industry Standard rooftop parties became filled with LA bunnies.
You gotta know that it has nothing to do with tech though right? It’s the same crap that women have been…FORCED…to deal with through time. It just so happens to have a tech spin. Here is the thing though - I wouldn’t have found out about this had you not mentioned it. Same thing when Scoble kept Twittering how horrible Valleywag’s story about Matt Mullenweg was. Wouldn’t have known about it if he didn’t say anything. Don’t give these negative people any attention, and they will disappear that much faster
That site is disgusting!!!! Fortuantly, when I lived in the Bay for a year, I never came accross anyone who felt this way. Though my boyfriend kinda ruined it for me with a story he told me. He is an electrical engineer, and engineering companies will hire women even if they dont know anything, in order to even out the men/women ratio. He was told by someone that when more than one woman applies for an engineering job, the hotter one is hired, even if she is less qualified. They do this so they can have eye candy in the office. It makes me so sick.
I wouldn’t have said this 4 years ago, but I’m getting as sick of this as you are Teresa. Previously I probably would have brushed it off as harmless crap, but I don’t think it is anymore.
I work in an office that is predominantly men. Not because our managers don’t hire women, but because THEY DON’T APPLY for engineering jobs. There aren’t any women to choose from, and it’s incredibly frustrating.
When I worked at Berkeley, we had a fair male/female ratio in the Engineering department. (By fair I mean, 30/70 instead of, say, 1/99). This gave me an opportunity to work with women who are intelligent and creative. It helped to live in a co-ed dorm with a shared bathroom. When you live that close to two dozen women, and work in homework and projects with still dozens of others, it becomes impossible to objectify them.
What I learned from that was that when women are as involved in engineering work as men are, the projects tend to progress more smoothly and problems are easier to solve. This is why I have such a problem with this treatment these days.
The problem is, websites like this one are THE REASON more women don’t get involved in Engineering and related technical professions. There’s already a cultural bias that discourages women from technical professions; we don’t need additional sexism to add to the problem.
I’ll admit that as a young male, of course I’m going to pay attention to an attractive young woman. That doesn’t mean I’m going to disrespect her or slap her on the butt when she walks by. And sure as hell it would never occur to me to create a website to ‘rate’ them. So many engineers simply treat women so terribly, it’s no wonder they don’t want to get involved in technical professions. It really makes no sense to me.
Dang. “When I worked at Berkeley” = “Went to school at Berkeley.”
as a cranky oldfart - and a male to boot
I agree with you wholeheartedly
Ugh, what a pointless site. Sure I suppose it could be a tad fun to surf hot girls of the industry, but really? Is it fun or just a bit creepy? Do people using this site expect that they’ll now know who to stalk at the next Web conference?
And you know, if you’re going to create a ridiculous, pointless, creepy site, at least make it a decent site.
[...] and a brilliant self-promoter. Give her a few years. This attitude is nothing new. Last week, I pitched a fit over a stupid website that allows users to rank women in the technology industry based on looks. I [...]
hi - you might like my new book - trying to present tech women in a different way..