BlogHer - Blogging & Social Media - Comments

I don't want to get

Virginia DeBolt — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 14:29:33 -0500

into one of those who's geekier things here; I'm trying to call attention and offer support to a group of women who self-identify as interested in tech (and even more, in business.) Women in Tech is one of my recurring topics on BlogHer. From reading the posts that are up on the site now, I'd say they have something to offer.

Virginia DeBolt
BlogHer CE
Web Teacher
First 50 Words

Oh, thanks for the

Virginia DeBolt — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 14:28:57 -0500

correction. I saw posts going back 3 months and assumed I only heard about you recently. But I must have heard about you recently because you just launched!

Virginia DeBolt
BlogHer CE
Web Teacher
First 50 Words

Thanks for the post, Virginia

ITSinsider — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 13:56:12 -0500

Slight correction, though. We just launched last Tuesday, not 3 months ago. :-) Appreciate the support.

Susan Scrupski

Woman, Mom, Grandma, ex-wife, peace-lover, freedom lover, writer

Dear Muddslide:

ITSinsider — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 13:41:55 -0500

Not sure why one of our founding members, Sandy Kemsley, is not listed on our site yet, but you can find her blogging here: http://bit.ly/1fzVir. I will pit Sandy and Anne against any SV boywonder.

The goal of technicallywomen.com is to highlight
issues our gender (assuming you're on our team) is subjected to in a field predominantly saturated with male influence.

The intersection of geek street cred and female participation in the "soft lines' of the business (i.e., marketing, HR) is something we hope to leverage to raise awareness for the particular challenges we face.
Hope you'll join us.

Susan Scrupski

Woman, Mom, Grandma, ex-wife, peace-lover, freedom lover, writer

First impression of "Technically Women" ...

muddslide — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 13:03:59 -0500

Another perspective - a more jaundiced one.

These are wonderfully accomplished women but hardly a rounded or representative group of women *in* technology. Is not the choice of "technically" for the blog name not a touch of spin, to invoke an association with technology (still a guy's
world in 2009 - see any org chart or the hagiographic profiles of the latest boy wonder)?

Naturally these gals all list their "Twitter names" first instead of job titles. They choose to represent the social networking movement (and fledgling industry) - an industry that provides a powerful channel for political organizing, current events reporting and customer engagement, but one that's still dominated by PR and marketing folks and that struggles to find a business model.

From my perspective in Silicon Valley, where my long (for SV) career means I've ridden successive waves of "this is the grestest thing known to man" (applications, internet, the enterprise, now Twitter)... anyone who creates content that is helpful, insightful or constructive deserves a hearing. Go forth...Technically Women!

But let's be real - these gals are missing a "geek quotient". Women product managers, programmers, VPs of Engineering, et al who are/have been "in" - as opposed to "associated with" - technology will look elsewhere for thought leadership.

Thanks for works

konusarock — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 09:01:57 -0500

hi got work thanks..

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A Network That Could Be A Source Of Pride

Megan Smith — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:50:13 -0500

Hi Michelle,

BET is a network that could be a source of great pride instead of a source of embarrassment and anger.

And Adrienne, I find your experience interesting. It's kind of like twenty-somethings wearing flip flops at Fortune 500 companies. Like you said....sigh...

Megan
BlogHer Contributing Editor, TV/Online Video

Megan's Minute

I've been a tech guru, a

Jan Kabili — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:18:59 -0500

I've been a tech guru, a lawyer, and a journalist, and unfortunately I've seen barriers to success for women in all those fields. But for me the answer has always been to just do it. Be excellent, be seen, and do what you love. And try to work for a business in which women already play lead roles.

Jan Kabili
Photoshop Author and Trainer
http://www.lynda.com

Society's attitudes

JaneMyLife — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 06:34:34 -0500

When I was at school, (yes, I know it is a long time ago now!), I was the only girl in the class taking Electronics and Computing. Initially there was a second pupil but she quit after a couple of weeks.

The reason? Her parents believed it was not a suitable subject for a girl! She changed to do a social science I think and later became a civil servant.

I didn't mind being the only girl and, although I believe I suffered (and still do) from the confidence issue girls have with technology, I still enjoyed the subject.

Young girls now may be a bit more tech savvy in terms of knowing how to use their mobile phone, facebook etc. but they are just using social tools designed to make the technology easier. How many would actually understand, or care, how they worked?

I believe education is key but it needs to utilise the areas girls are interested in to promote the technology aspects. Also there needs to be greater encouragement from parents both to bolster girls confidence, but also to not fall into the traditional trap of believing its a man's world. Difficult I know when there are lots of parents out there who don't know anything about computers and would only ever use a mobile phone for calls!

Jane

Cheeky

gretnagreene — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 05:30:34 -0500

I think if it had been me I'd have blown my top. I wrote a book once, a long time ago, and it is so incredibly difficult to try & promote it and to try & get even small independent book stores to take it.

Trying to sell your own book on your own website is so obviously what anyone is going to do, the people who complain don't live in the real World - if they'd ever tried to do anything, to run a business, create a product, or write a book they'd know how incredibly difficult it is and would be more understanding.

I'm afraid the World seems full of people like this at times, people who want to just compalin and knock other people, you just have to ignore them and get on with it.

Respect

Adriennevh — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:44:04 -0500

I worked the show, I worked in the backstage (read parking lot area), where the seat fillers, mosh pit fillers and the 106 and Park pre party people were staged and shuttled over.

I was surprised to see how "undressed" most of them were. If this is an awards show, shouldn't the attire reflect that?

Girls in shorts shorter than any Daisy Dukes I have ever seen. Guys in jeans down around their knees (and these were the seat fillers!).

I understand that the "dress code" of some shows is not quite Oscar's, but it just shouted disrespectful to me.

As I was sitting backstage (I never actually saw the show), I was reading tweets on my phone from East Coast watchers and just sighed.

I have never been a watcher of BET, don't even know if my cable carries it or not, but I guess I am just disappointed that a formerly respectable tv station and awards show has "jumped the shark".

Great article Jes!

Lisa Stone — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:48:07 -0500

For the past four years, there's one thing that's always proven true: Bring a comfy sweater if you're the type who gets cold in air conditionaing, as I do.

The only other thing you really need is a warm smile. :)

Look forward to seeing you there!

Lisa Stone
BlogHer Co-founder
Surfette

BlogHer is non-partisan but our bloggers aren't! Follow our coverage of Politics & News.

its a subject I often wonder about

mashadutoit — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:51:25 -0500

I used to make my first year students fill in a questionnaire asking them to rate their own computer skills in various applications. It was an attempt to get students into groups with equivalent skills so that I did not have half the class bored while the other half is lagging behind. I asked questions like:

How would you rate your ability in using Photoshop?

never used it
I am a beginner
I can do what I need to
I am an expert

I was always struck that the girls were far more likely to answer with "I am a beginner" or "I can do what I need to" even if they were really experienced. Almost without exception, only boys would choose "I am an expert". (I shouldn't call them boys and girls, they were first year students)

I no longer separate students like this and have tried to find other ways to deal with their different levels of experience.

My greatest challenge with girls is usually to get them to stop apologising for asking questions. But even though I am hyper aware of these gender issues, and try to encourage all my students as much as I can, Ive also noticed this:

I notice, and remember the male students far easier. I remember their names. They come and chat to me. I can tell them apart. And often the girls sort of...melt into the background. Its important to give them individual attention away from the group otherwise they sometimes get completely left out.

My thoughts exactly

Southerngirl — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:02:56 -0500

Everything you guys said and esp this:

In fact the only way my cable box ever lands on the dreaded BET channel is if my finger slips on the remote. Then I make sure to get the heck out of there before my eyeballs fry and my blood boils.

I did try to watch a Boyz in the Hood one night and the commercials just got to me. I could not even finish the movie. I have blocked it on my kids' TV, I should just do the same on mine as well.

I hope no one was expecting anything less from Lil wayne. I have seen enough of his interveiws and listened to his songs enough to know that he beleives his press clippings.

I have written enough complaints to BET to wallpaper a room. I do not think they are listening. Because after all they are catering to their market. Whoever that is.

Michelle

I blog at http://www.mommycan.blogspot.com/

Thanks for your perspective

Virginia DeBolt — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:03:48 -0500

The more things change, the more things remain the same, right?

Virginia DeBolt
BlogHer CE
Web Teacher
First 50 Words