Technologist I am Not
I actually don't think of myself as creative. I'm an execution person, not a vision person. I admire and like vision people. I need to be around them. But I'm not one of them. Just an appreciator of vision people.
Knowing this about myself makes me somewhat shy or reserved in the world of men and software. Men and women are different.
There are so many studies about boys and girls and the major of Computer Science. Why don't more girls go into it? Or stay in it? I've read so many studies. The funny thing is that most of these studies show that it's not about technical ability or aptitude. It's about attitude. Boys/Men are more confident about their abilities (sometimes to the point of inaccuracy) while girls/women are more insecure and often rate themselves at a lower than the truth. This is one of many findings that I found surprising. There are more if you look for study write ups.
But here's my solo-mio perspective on it. I think it's more about what men and women like to talk about for fun. Yes, I mean for fun. I remember when I started taking formal computer science classes sometime after college. Oh I had been part of the Math Team and the Computer Team in high school (yes, one of two girls) and I'd been "coding" since middle school. But I just don't front that. And I went to a women's college because my mom made me (I'll blog about that some other day). But I had a lot of college friends who went to a very fancy tech school. And I hung out a lot at a frat at that very fancy tech school. So basically, the guys don't view me as someone technical, well because I don't front that.
Anyway, most of my formal CS training/schooling comes from post-BA. And one of these guy friends from college turned to me and said "Hey, now we can geek-talk with you." Um, really? You think you can? What makes you think I like to geek-talk? Can't we go back to talking about beer or TV? Just because I code that doesn't mean I want to spend my social life talking about code. Or does it?
Anyway, so I watch all these guys/men I admire, both socially and in the work place. And they start going down some tech speak....and I'm sort of not into it. I used to feel sort of ashamed. You know, all the "smart people" are talking and I'd rather talk about TV or some goofy thing we all did while we were in college.
I think it might be career limiting that I don't "tech talk" for fun. Mainly because the people who are in positions above me are usually men and men like to talk and be opinionated about technology. They like to debate it. And honestly, I don't know a lot of women to like to debate ANYTHING. And the women who do (meaning they express themselves passionately about something-or-other) well, other women sort of look at them like "Whoa!" I'm serious.
Sometimes I feel like I can't win. Either I'm lonely for women friends and barrel forward with opinions and thoughts about tech or I'm regarded as "not one of the tech boys" because I'd rather hear "how things are going with you?".
Knowing this about myself makes me somewhat shy or reserved in the world of men and software. Men and women are different.
There are so many studies about boys and girls and the major of Computer Science. Why don't more girls go into it? Or stay in it? I've read so many studies. The funny thing is that most of these studies show that it's not about technical ability or aptitude. It's about attitude. Boys/Men are more confident about their abilities (sometimes to the point of inaccuracy) while girls/women are more insecure and often rate themselves at a lower than the truth. This is one of many findings that I found surprising. There are more if you look for study write ups.
But here's my solo-mio perspective on it. I think it's more about what men and women like to talk about for fun. Yes, I mean for fun. I remember when I started taking formal computer science classes sometime after college. Oh I had been part of the Math Team and the Computer Team in high school (yes, one of two girls) and I'd been "coding" since middle school. But I just don't front that. And I went to a women's college because my mom made me (I'll blog about that some other day). But I had a lot of college friends who went to a very fancy tech school. And I hung out a lot at a frat at that very fancy tech school. So basically, the guys don't view me as someone technical, well because I don't front that.
Anyway, most of my formal CS training/schooling comes from post-BA. And one of these guy friends from college turned to me and said "Hey, now we can geek-talk with you." Um, really? You think you can? What makes you think I like to geek-talk? Can't we go back to talking about beer or TV? Just because I code that doesn't mean I want to spend my social life talking about code. Or does it?
Anyway, so I watch all these guys/men I admire, both socially and in the work place. And they start going down some tech speak....and I'm sort of not into it. I used to feel sort of ashamed. You know, all the "smart people" are talking and I'd rather talk about TV or some goofy thing we all did while we were in college.
I think it might be career limiting that I don't "tech talk" for fun. Mainly because the people who are in positions above me are usually men and men like to talk and be opinionated about technology. They like to debate it. And honestly, I don't know a lot of women to like to debate ANYTHING. And the women who do (meaning they express themselves passionately about something-or-other) well, other women sort of look at them like "Whoa!" I'm serious.
Sometimes I feel like I can't win. Either I'm lonely for women friends and barrel forward with opinions and thoughts about tech or I'm regarded as "not one of the tech boys" because I'd rather hear "how things are going with you?".
posted by Mommy Coder at
7:57 PM
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