http://www.ariadacapo.net/blog/on-the-gender-imbalance-in-the-free-software-community/ Olivier Cleynen's personal webpage Tue, 14 Oct 2008 00:04:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 http://www.ariadacapo.net/blog/on-the-gender-imbalance-in-the-free-software-community/#comment-5 ariadacapo Fri, 09 Nov 2007 17:06:09 +0000 http://www.ariadacapo.net/blog/on-the-gender-imbalance-in-the-free-software-community/#comment-5 I agree with you on the role and importance of education here, but I think we often like that argument because it's a rather comfortable one ("not my fault"). I believe there still is a lot to do outside of it, educating ourselves just as much as our kids, to the fact that women deserve just the same. Thanks for the input which was indeed worth reading ;-) I agree with you on the role and importance of education here, but I think we often like that argument because it’s a rather comfortable one (“not my fault”). I believe there still is a lot to do outside of it, educating ourselves just as much as our kids, to the fact that women deserve just the same.
Thanks for the input which was indeed worth reading ;-)

]]> http://www.ariadacapo.net/blog/on-the-gender-imbalance-in-the-free-software-community/#comment-3 Aline Mon, 05 Nov 2007 19:24:42 +0000 http://www.ariadacapo.net/blog/on-the-gender-imbalance-in-the-free-software-community/#comment-3 I noticed this many times, as much in the free software world as in my daily experience since I work in experimental physics. All 'hard science' topics are affected, especially those involving experimental work. It is striking to see that there are many more female theorists than female experimentalists. Females do love abstraction, but they seem to be less led to work with devices in general (think of electrical engineering...) I tried to ask myself why I thought that experimental physics could be my thing, and the answer came down to the fact that my Dad was very keen on me becoming a mechanical engineer! Without this, I would probably have become a Linguist (same analytical skills required, but no devices or contact with technology ) or a translator. The choice of what a student would want to do after high school is always defined from preconceptions of what a certain job could be (what else to they have to make up their minds?) This preconception is shaped throughout childhood, and as you have said, stereotypical toys and attitudes play an important role. I get the impression that toys are getting more and more stereotypical. I recently saw a pink toy iron for girls to play with... It was so appalling that I couldn't help laughing. I hope my little input was worth reading, thanks for caring I noticed this many times, as much in the free software world as in my daily experience since I work in experimental physics. All ‘hard science’ topics are affected, especially those involving experimental work. It is striking to see that there are many more female theorists than female experimentalists. Females do love abstraction, but they seem to be less led to work with devices in general (think of electrical engineering…) I tried to ask myself why I thought that experimental physics could be my thing, and the answer came down to the fact that my Dad was very keen on me becoming a mechanical engineer! Without this, I would probably have become a Linguist (same analytical skills required, but no devices or contact with technology ) or a translator. The choice of what a student would want to do after high school is always defined from preconceptions of what a certain job could be (what else to they have to make up their minds?) This preconception is shaped throughout childhood, and as you have said, stereotypical toys and attitudes play an important role. I get the impression that toys are getting more and more stereotypical. I recently saw a pink toy iron for girls to play with… It was so appalling that I couldn’t help laughing.
I hope my little input was worth reading, thanks for caring

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