A Boy Thing
Twenty percent. If you had no other point of reference but classrooms and offices of Computer Scientists, you might wonder if women are a minority group. The sex disparity in Computer Science is a given--it is the rationalization for this disparity which remains debated, its justification holding that such disparity owes to some biological inclination of men or women, rather than social circumstance. If narratives such as this are representative at all of male sentiments in Computer Science, then sexism occurs in its insidious form: the instigators themselves are ignorant of their contributing role. The unfortunate implication here is that the rationalizing sentiment (that the disparity stems from biology) itself fuels the social disparity. The problem is such that complacency will perpetuate it. The candidness and casualness by which this is done is easily illustrated: consider the tragic number of such exacerbatory mishandlings in the above-linked video alone:
- Distinction of merit co-occurring with denotative sex. "...young men...invented the personal computer," where people would have been more appropriate in avoiding incidental connotation.
- Note that this is no special exception, such connotation happens throughout the referenced video, where guys, nerds, men, etc. will be the preferred vocabulary over the non-sex-denoting "people."
- Suggestion that electronics and computers are "...a boy thing," generalizing the boredom of a nearby woman to describe the attitude of all women, and inconsistent particularly because the boy being interviewed is accompanied by an unacknowledged young woman.
- Note the extension of the sexual designation to "...engineers, programmers, hackers, techies...nerds."
- Suggestion that the appeal of computers--that it can be reasoned about--is opposed to the "...motivations of young women."
- Note the connotation that understandability of a thing is determinable primarily from a male perspective, since it's not considered whether the motivations of young women are understood by, well, other women.
- Suggestion of Computer Science as a "...priesthood." At best, this is tactless use of a historically male designation; at worst, an intended connotation of the same.
- Accomplishment of women (explicitly Grace Hopper) in Computer Science minimized by making reference to such contribution as having "...a silly name."
- Snide reference to women's vanity and concern with triviality, suggestion of women's stupidity necessitating their reliance on computers to supply rationale for action (i.e. because "...the computer says so").
- Note also that women are underrepresented in the video. Despite the fact that roughly a third of this industry would have been women near the time of this video (inferred to be roughly mid-80's), apart from a single occurrence of comment from a woman, only men are interviewed in the video.
Okay, so let's tackle this big topic of sexism, not because it is easy, but because it is difficult. One should keep in mind that things develop over time. If you are hung up on being in a moment and reflect solely from your perspective in whatever current morality that your judgements come from, then can you appreciate the struggle to reach this point from where you came from? There is the notion of being the change you want to be. Yes, there was this sexist ideology, it isn't entirely awful, but it as a with most cultural notions are about superiority, as with personal superiority. Were women encouraged in times past to pursue the sciences and technological industries, nope. Some few examples we hear of, like Ada Lovelace, from history and times are the exceptions. Even today, like in my cs 1400 class there were no women, and the few female CS students I have met have been exceptionally brilliant. I have met many very talented women over my life who make their own choices about what they pursue, marriage and family for example, that take them and their energies away from pursuits that further develop their talents and interests. I see in society today with feminists scorching on women who pursue motherhood and making that somehow horrible and denigrating of women. Yet it the woman free to choose her life who is castigated if it isn't in accordance with the dehumanized worker drone ideology. I have been saddened to see women's talents go unused in many possible professions or achievements they could have had, but one must be respectful of her choice. Yeah, I understand where you are coming from with your questions and I ask the same, where are the women in these achievements? One can play the fake victim and point to the horrible themes of exclusion of the past, or be the change you want, appreciate that choice and freedom you have of being able to pursue your dreams. As one woman I knew liked to say, 'You do you.' Where are the women? Yep, there was plenty of discouragement, sexism, racism, etc... it's all just about someone's power trip in the animal survival of the fittest, who can be better than whom. Is it about the male dominance and power in all this, trust me, women are not the sweet little angels they're made out to be, the victims of sexism, as women have been as horrible to others as well. "We can all do better." Dr. K from today's lecture (9/24). Is it revenge and punishment you want on people who were doing their thing in their time in their ways and ideology and everyone must bow to the new power struggle. People have been hurt, not just women in the struggle for power between the sexes. It's an animal thing to tear apart one another and be the dominant force, if that base instinct isn't curbed, it doesn't matter if more women are forced into computer science, or any science and tech, it is still the same domination game. There is a mass switch where women are being encouraged and men are being discouraged, it's no better than the monstrosities of the past, and not learning from the past only repeats it, only with the roles of power changed, revenge achieved. Finding a better means of cooperation and encouragement for all to have the freedom to pursue their own interests and be respected for their choice and pursuit in life should be the alternative. We can all lift each other up. Kindness.
ReplyDeletesorry, I guess space was limited to 4000 characters so my comment was cut off. here's the rest.
DeleteApologies for rambling on. I really had no idea how to respond to your post. I went in thinking this is going to be impossible to face. Yep, I watched the video. It's interesting what you got out of it was much different that what I got out of it. Though it has crossed my mind several times, where are the women? With all that is going on today, I wonder if in the future will anyone be asking, where are the men? For me, the video on the nerds was one about their creative process. I don't feel that the term Nerd is either male or female centric, I've known plenty of nerds of both sexes. However, it was a term of denigration for those who were smart and/or different, perhaps the focus should be how those who were castigated and beaten-up by the cool kids, the nerds, have gone on to achieve world changing successes. And that is what I see coming from women these days, more and more achievements as they pursue their choices. Hopefully an appreciation of the achievements of women of the past won't be forgotten, because of some ideology that only places value on someone because of an approved professional choice is the only superior way and denigrating others, just because it didn't make anyone rich off of a woman who was enriching other lives. Good luck in your career and life choices. May you live long and prosper.