

Coding Queens - Feedback from Female Engineers in the Bay Area - shurdles
http://startuphurdles.wordpress.com/2012/12/14/coding-queens/

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wsc981
First of all, the study finds a little above 20% of computer software
engineers are woman. To me (being from the Netherlands), that sounds rather
high. I would guess here in the Netherlands at most around 10% of computer
software engineers would be woman, though this guess is just based on personal
experience...

Second, 2 points strike me as weird:

\-- "Is she really a B _!@h? Some women in male dominated industries may feel
that they have to be over-assertive in order to portray themselves as
authoritative figures in the work place. If you are bothered by a female
engineer who is outspoken it is important not to dismiss her as some
derogatory name, but instead address her ideas with constructive feedback."

If a woman (or man for that matter) acts as a b_tch, I wouldn't feel obliged
to act constructive towards this person. Actually, I would want to avoid
working with such a person altogether, if possible. I wouldn't want to act
differently towards men as I would to woman in such situations.

\-- "Flexible hours without judgment. Women in tech should not be punished for
wanting a good work/life balance. Female engineers who leave work “early” to
pick up their children from school notice the stares as they are leaving the
office and are 100% cognizant of the perceived perceptions. Just know that
they are doing their best and must compensate by getting to the office earlier
or working at home late at night. Just because their hours can be more
flexible doesn’t mean women aren’t working as hard."

And again, I feel man and woman should be regarded equal in this. Men might
get even weirder stares if they leave work early because they have to get
their kids from schools. Emancipation of woman in the workplace should be a
2-way street. Men in tech should not be punished for wanting a good work/life
balance either.

