Girl or Geek? Why not both?

Posted by: Katelyn Holloway
September 3, 2010

This is a geek and she wears pink? Whoa Criminal Minds, you bringin' controversy here!

An older male classmate told me once that I could use my looks to get help in class. That’s not a compliment.

It’s the cliche topic at everyone’s fingertips these days: the lack of women in technology, but I haven’t really heard a response from anyone that really gets to the heart of the matter. They tend to focus on how women are treated within the industry, but the root of the problem is not just within the industry, but in the cultural stereotypes of tech.

The controversy was recently inflamed again when Rachel Sklar said to the Wall Street Journal that entrepreneurialism isn’t female friendly, commenting on both the nature of the job and the *shudder* “maleness” of the conferences.

I can't even begin to tell you the truth in this.

Michael Arrington at TechCrunch rushes to the defense of the men (as if they were actually being blamed in the original article) claiming it’s not his fault, or any man’s fault because women just aren’t doing it. He doesn’t really ponder a good reason why they don’t just get out there and start a company; he just alludes to the “nurturing” nature of women. Blech. (Also, I don’t recommend reading the comments. It starts with a bunch of baloney about how men and women have different brain patterns, as if skill in mathematics is what it takes to be a great entrepreneur).

Arrington’s point is a bit biased, and his sampling pool may be out of the ordinary. One of the co-founders of TechCrunch is a woman so, lucky for him, he might be spared the well-disguised misogyny of a male-dominated industry.

A male tech blogger, Laurie Voss responded well to Arrington: “the men of Silicon Valley do not take women seriously by default.” In his experience, women have to work twice as hard as their male counterparts in order to be considered equals, admitting he’s judged women this way himself.

The three writers mentioned above are so concerned about how the industry treats women that they haven’t stopped to think why tech entrepreneurship only seems to attract a Y chromosome. The only reasons I have heard in my exploration of the blogosphere can be broken down into an incoherent LOLcat: “de wimminz, dey isn’t good wiv da numberzz.”

A geek in its natural habitat. This is the only way geeks appear. Ever.

Let’s break down how society thinks about geeks. Though they’ve risen in social status in recent years, while I was growing up and choosing an undergraduate major (history), they were un-cool, un-sexy, and lived in basements decorated with glowing computer monitors, fondling Star Trek memorabilia while eating Hot Pockets. Even movies that glamorize computer geeks, usually focus on a nerdy guy (played by a conventionally attractive actor) getting the hot girl with his coding skills (exception: The Net, but that’s not exactly Sandra Bullock’s most famous or girly role).

The computer geek chick exists, but she’s angry, bitter and looking to kick a guy’s ass instead of fall in love with him. She’s cold and rational, almost “manlike” to the point of being a shrew. She’s not the main story and she’s not the romantic comedy lead. Those star quirky, sexy journalists/writers/executive assistants with awesome wardrobes and fancy apartments who spend their life savings on shoes. If they aren’t already beautiful, they’ll have a makeover to get that guy!

They are “real women.” This is how women are portrayed. *Headdesk*

This is a man. MEN ARE MANLY GRRR!!

The underlying message of this cultural stereotype is that women must let go of their tenuous grasps to flirty femininity to enter a male-dominated industry, just as a guy who decides to be a nurse, secretary or elementary school teacher must reject his manliness.

A woman entering a STEM field can’t be girly and wear makeup, dress fashionably, giggle with girlfriends and flirt with the guys if she wants, or at least that’s what we’re told. Girls who are techies must wear horn-rimmed glasses, refuse to shower regularly and ban the color pink from her closet. Or must they?

Let's play "Where's Waldo: Geek Edition." Find: 2 computer geeks and a journalist.

I’ve often had more in common with my male friends than my female friends—I like action movies, hate rom coms, and would rather go hiking than shopping. And even one of my “girliest” girlfriends is a straight up computer geek, though we joke about being a minority in our program (pictured above).

I’m aware that movies and television rarely depict the real world but instead reinforce stereotypes. But for once I’d like to see a computer geek portrayed as glamorous, not a makeover contestant. We need to show girls that they don’t have to conform to the geek stereotype (unless they so desire) and that tech is something they CAN do, while still being a “girly” girl (if they so desire).

Basically, choosing this career in technology and entrepreneurship isn’t a choice between being “womanly” (however you choose to define it) and starting a tech business, but it is often portrayed as one. This is changing, but I can only speak from the fact that I see a lot more women in my tech classes this semester and have met or can follow the following awesome chics on twitter and the blogosphere:
Alana Edmunds, The Pursuit of Techyness
Lauren Newman, Nerd Glasses
Mashable’s List of 15 Developer Women to Follow

The tech world will miss out on some great talent and opportunity if it keeps telling me and my friends to flirt our way to the top.

Katelyn Holloway

Information Management grad student. Word lover.

Category: Uncategorized
Tagged: featured, gender equity, sexism, tech, technology |

http://www.jasonwdean.com Jason W. Dean

Katelyn,

Very interesting post! I have a few questions for you: do you think that the disparity between women and men is specific to tech-related careers, or do you think the lack of women in tech is reflective of broader societal roles and expectations? If so, which “societal norms” work against women working in tech fields? What do you think women can do to work against these norms?

Thanks for sharing!

Jason
PBJ

Katie,

I’m glad you wrote this. Although you helped me articulate my problems about male stereotypes, female stereotypes are even more brutal and oppressive. The bottom line is that males have a glass ceiling that they need to break through. Males will tend to deny such oppression because they may not consciously oppress. However, males need to be proactive and open minded to stereotypes and females taking on ‘non traditional’ roles in order to break through the glass ceiling.
Katelyn Holloway

Jason,
I believe that the lack of women in tech is a symptom of a wider cultural perception that can be broken down into the perception that, as a sex, women are less adept at math and science and that they would somehow give up some of what makes them “women” in order to succeed in the technology field.

I also believe both perceptions are full of overgeneralizations and some sort of misogynistic propaganda that harkens back to the “women belong in the kitchen” or “women and men exist in separate spheres” mentality. As it happens, even though girls statistically score lower on standardized math and science tests, it has also been shown that when students are told they should score lower on these tests, they DO score lower, regardless of gender.

Though I talk about perceptions of tech in the blog post, it is also perceptions of women that hold girls back from pursuing tech at an early age. We’re supposed to be nurturing mothers who should put family first, even if men aren’t doing the same. I see a lot of this changing, but it is slow going and rooted in a lot of societal norms that a lot of people don’t even realize exist.

As a society, females are consistently told that they will not perform well in math and science fields and this has a double edged impact. First, they will not try as hard initially. Second, even if they excel, they often don’t see how they do compare to male students so they often don’t realize they are excelling.

As it was, both of these reason contributed to why I gave up math and science after high school and it wasn’t until I picked up HTML in the course of getting my first master’s degree that I realized that I COULD do tech (and I was actually better at coding than many of the guys in my classes at the time).

If you want some background reading, I’d suggest “Delusions of Gender” by Cordelia Fine which breaks down how society actually creates the gender disparity as well as “Manliness and Civilization” by Gail Bederman which links the modern day concept of “manliness” to an actually racist ideology.
Katelyn Holloway

PBJ,
Thanks for your comment and support! I think a lot of people don’t realize the effect a lot of these stereotypes and norms have on everyone, women and men included!
Katie
Ashley Schofield

Pretty AND smart!?! Who knew it was possible Great post, valid points, and good support. Geeky girls rule … even the “girliest.” Hah, love being a minority in our program, the tech field, and intellectual discussion.
http://nerdytalk.tumblr.com Lauren Newman

I can’t do anything but agree with your post, Kate. I feel like we’re cut from the same cloth – I’ve always related to guys better, and participate in pretty “nerdy” activities, but I still wear heels and skirts to work, and flirt with the boys at the deli.
http://www.meglish.com/ Meghan Dornbrock

Honestly, I don’t think this is as big a problem as we’re all presuming it to be. I consider myself a tech girl, and I have a lot of female role models that I look up to in the industry. I think the female percentage is growing, but slowly.

The gender divide is just a symptom of the bigger cultural issue. It’s not going to fix itself overnight. Look how much has changed since the 1950s. It’s happening, people. Slowly, but social change happens slowly. Sure, more relatable movie and TV characters would be great, but it isn’t a fix. It’s coming though.

Also, I notice that a lot of tech ladies are tooting their own horns about what great ‘male’ interests they have. Hey – I’ve done it too. As people we like to feel unique and special, so why not highlight the fact that we’re a lady who loves paintball? It works for our gender.

Ladies drawing attention to their ‘male’ interests gains them respect, while men who have ‘female’ interests are largely dismissed as gay. Seems a little unfair. Seems like we’re not the ones in a bad spot.

Seems like there are quite a few of us who are taking advantage of it. And why not? Bloggers are so obsessed lately with finding great women in tech, why not self-promote? Yes, it would be grand if Top Ten lists were composed solely on merit or uniqueness of idea, but we’re not into that right now. We’re interested in the Plight of the Lady Techie – and what a great time to be one! “Any press is good press”, and all that?

Our best move, I think, is to lead by example. I haven’t seen any real calls to action, just perpetual yammering about the sad shame of it all. How about we go back to doing what we do – being badass ladies in our industries – and influence change that way.

This goes for everyone: Gender divides are breaking down, and it’s only by continuing our work that we’ll crush them completely. Set good examples and teach good values wherever you can. Be proud of yourself and your varying interests. Our genders should take a backseat to our achievements.
Katelyn Holloway

Meghan,
I’m trying to really wrap my head around your point, but it seems your ideas are working against each other. You say that we’re in a great position and that we shouldn’t worry, but at the same time we still have work to do because we’re not quite there yet. That is what my post was trying to tell people. Yes, we’ve gotten to the point where we realize women have “male” interests, but wouldn’t it be MORE awesome if these interests were gendered? The fact that we still see these interests as having a gendered quality is the problem, especially because when something is seen as feminine (even if the feminine thing is in fact a woman) it is seen as bad.

Also, we have to work to get to that point where ladies and tech are not lauded because they’re a rarity in the tech field but because their ideas and work are laudable on their own merit.

We aren’t there yet. It’s still a pretty big problem.
http://www.meglish.com/ Meghan Dornbrock

I suppose there was some sarcasm in my post that didn’t translate, and I realize that now. Specifically in the paragraph about how, as ladies, we should be milking the media attention for all it’s worth. Honestly, I’m still debating myself on whether that’s helping or hindering our progress. I keep coming back to the latter.

Do we REALLY have to point out ladies in the industry JUST because they’re women? Is that really our only option for making progress? I have such a gut reaction to that, that it’s destabilizing our whole point. How can we say we’re equal, but special enough to warrant our own blog features? Doesn’t it stand to reason that if we continue to put out good work that it’s going to get recognized simply for its merit?

Again, this parallels a much bigger social issue. This isn’t just a problem in tech. Tech gender inequality is a symptom, and I want to know what we’re doing to help solve the whole darn thing. I really don’t think special treatment is the way to do it. I’m not aiming this at you, specifically, but everyone involved.

Is there a solution? Other than just riding it out, that is.
Katelyn Holloway

Meghan,
Ahhh! I was wondering why I agreed with the last half of your post but not the first! My sarcasm detector was not ringing!

I definitely agree with you that is a part of a larger social issue that is making SOME progress, but very slowly. The TechChrunch post in particularly makes my head spin about how the guy just doesn’t get it. We do deserve to have our work taken seriously, not despite the fact that we’re women, not because we’re women but WHEN OUR WORK DESERVES IT.

I think a lot of the problem with the media is that we need to point out that there are women there, but as soon as they do get pointed at, people say “Oh, you just blogged about them because they’re women.” It’s such a double edged sword.
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