Stop Arguing About Women In Technology

**Marx** · 23rd-February-2011

Women in tech, women and tech, women about tech….blah, blah, blah. As a woman reporting about all things about and affected by technology, it’s hard for me to avoid and ignore these discussions. They seem to come and go, and about every four or five months, there’s a new wave of discussion about the lack of women working in and around the technology sector. This time, the discussion was seemingly triggered by Obama’s invitation of leading tech CEO’s to a dinner summit. Invited were 11 men, and one woman – Yahoo’s Carol Bartz.

Suddenly, bloggers are arguing, again, about the presence of female leadership in media and both startups and well-founded (and funded) companies alike. Editor of Storyscape Journal Anne Hays demanded a refund on January 2nd, 2011 from the New Yorker after the publication only featured two articles from women. Others argue that the debate should actually not be about women actually working or writing about technology, but about “how and why the female consumer is affecting technology innovation.” Taking the debate back even further, TechCrunch’s Michael Arrington “ignited a firestorm” last December when he said “not enough women want to become entrepreneurs” after the Wall Street Journal questioned the lack of women in startups.
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The numbers prove the point though – there really aren’t very many women in tech. According the WSJ, only about 11% of U.S. firms with venture-capital backing in 2009 had current or former female CEOs or female founders. The start-up incubator Y Combinator has had just 14 female founders among the 208 firms it has funded. And a quick look at any tech blogs reveals a low percentage of female bloggers. Of course, there are the few that have achieved success. But it is this rarity that only highlights the general lack of females throughout the rest of the industry.

But this should not be an argument about the facts. The discussion about the lack of females embracing careers in technology really shouldn’t even be an argument at all. Where is the discussion about mentorships – the discussion about how we can coach young women in developing stronger voices, and stronger personalities? Where is the encouragement for women to pursue education opportunities related to technology? Why are we complacent with women just using technology, as suggested by Christina Brodbeck – but not necessarily creating it?

And where is the discussion about the actual issues preventing women opportunity and entry into technology? Could it be due to misogynistic risk factors such as the potential that, should an entrepreneurial young woman want funding, that she may also someday also want a family? In the 9-5 world, this is called a glass ceiling. The glass ceiling in technology is also limiting by citing that women have weaker voices, weaker marketing skills, and a point of view different from their “male” audience.

The men who currently lead most of the technology industry are continuing to define the scope of the industry – from the definition to the consumption of the work. The few women who also lead follow suit. Until this shifts so that young women do not have to make all-or-nothing choices, until we actually do something about this dichotomy, we will continue to see these conversations– these arguments – ebb and flow without resolution.

Posted by Kelly Clay on Feb 22, 201

**Marx** · 23rd-February-2011

Quote from me

Problem is, feminists don't like a lack of women in any career... as long as it's a career with good money. Ask any feminist about the lack of female sewerage workers or garbage collectors and there's a sudden silence. They don't want 'equality' for women - they want "selective equality" where women get *at least* as much money as men "if not more".
Rather than hold women accountable for their own decisions not to enter a certain field of employment, feminists prefer to blame men - how shocking.

Also keep in mind, feminists who repeatedly shriek out names like "misogynist" often can't differentiate between women being held accountable for their own actions (lack of interest in a certain job, for example) and the definition of the word 'hatred'. Misogyny is of course 'hatred' as any remotely educated person could spell out for you.

More often than not, those who squeal 'misogyny' are quite often misandrists. Misandry is hatred of men for the crime of being born male. This may manifest itself in various ways such as blaming men for women's own choices, continually labelling men as misogynists, demanding preferential treatment of women & girls at the expense of men & boys and continually finding excuses for badly behaved women (e.g. kneeing a man in the groin).

Social Media & Technology » Stop Arguing About Women In Technology

**themanonthestreet** · 23rd-February-2011

Nice response.

TMOTS

**Douglas** · 23rd-February-2011

Of course, there are the few [women] that have achieved success. But it is this rarity that only highlights the general lack of females throughout the rest of the industry.

Wrong. If no women had achieved success, that would highlight a general lack of females. If some women have achieved success, it highlights that those of either gender have a chance of success. Of course.

The men who currently lead most of the technology industry are continuing to define the scope of the industry – from the definition to the consumption of the work. The few women who also lead follow suit.

So what that really means is

The men and women who currently lead the technology industry are continuing to define the scope of the industry – from the definition to the consumption of the work.

And the author has a problem that those people (of both genders) who lead an industry continue to define its scope. I'd be quite worried for an industry if the leaders of it did NOT define its scope. In doing so, yes they de-facto define the industry and provide the consumption of labour. This is a fact of economics (capitalist or communist), not a gender issue.

**senach** · 23rd-February-2011

I disagree it is a gender issue,because the state and feminist's make it so,neither in great numbers,have the knowledge nor ability to make inroads to a science or technology that they do not have to natural ability to contribute too,but they can use and abuse it,without ever understanding it,that said,i also do the same,i have no knowledge and have a total ignorance of it's working's,but i do not feel that it discriminate's against me,i embrace, what it does for me,and i do not fear what i do not understand,unlike the weak minded feminist's and state.

**Percy** · 23rd-February-2011

Where is the discussion about mentorships – the discussion about how we can coach young women in developing stronger voices, and stronger personalities?

Stronger than what? Foghorns?

Women's voices are heard everywhere and everywhen.

Their personalities need strengthening?

To be up to what? Men's? That is the assumption.

OK, ladies here, go for the jugular.

**Zuberi** · 23rd-February-2011

Quote from senach

I disagree it is a gender issue,because the state and feminist's make it so,neither in great numbers,have the knowledge nor ability to make inroads to a science or technology that they do not have to natural ability to contribute too,but they can use and abuse it,without ever understanding it,that said,i also do the same,i have no knowledge and have a total ignorance of it's working's,but i do not feel that it discriminate's against me,i embrace, what it does for me,and i do not fear what i do not understand,unlike the weak minded feminist's and state.

Even with all the modern devices and the scores of men who've dedicated their lives to architectures, physics, engineering, mathematics, medicine, religion, art, music and science, the gals are still barking and snarling. Yes, I agree that women in technology is a gender issue only because of the state and feminists made it so. Indeed, technology is a wonderful thing, but sometimes you have to know when to turn it off.

**senach** · 23rd-February-2011

Just a quick point while we are on the subject of technology and computors,i buy motherboards at £3.00 a kilo,as long as the fingers are in place,and it is complete,i will even pay postage within EU,just for your information.