

Goldman Handed Out Cosmetic Mirrors and Nail Files at Women’s Coding Event - rodrodrod
http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/02/11/goldman-handed-out-cosmetic-mirrors-and-nail-files-at-womens-coding-event/

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zamalek
Goldman Sachs not only generously sponsors an event advocating female coding,
but they also hand out free gifts that they think that women may appreciate
(and if they don't it's not a far walk to the bin). Then they get slammed by a
_nobody_ on Instagram who only provided vitriol as her contribution. It's very
clear who the actual problem is.

~~~
lmnt
They are reinforcing stereotypes about women at an event whose purpose seems
to be about breaking the stereotype of computer science being for men.

> "... they also hand out free gifts that they think that women may appreciate
> ..."

Why do you stress the fact that the gifts are things that particularly women
may appreciate? I've never noticed that my female colleagues are more vain
than men at work and need a mirror while programming. To get women into
computer science for real, we need to stop with these gender stereotypes.

~~~
zamalek
If I were to buy my significant other roses or perfume or something nice; is
that gender stereotyping? Should I have bought them power tools instead?
_(Agreed, in some cases, yes - but buying for one person that you really know
is significantly easier than an entire crowd)_

Maybe the organizers should have bought them thumb drives. The only problem
with that is there would be another crowd, equally as zealous, complaining
that they are "nerd stereotyping."

Computer science right now is like a boy and a girl noticing that they have
different "bits." The difference is that children move past their differences
and play together in the playground anyway - they may think the other one is
weird, but they can still play in the mud together; so they don't care. Adults
[on the internet] on the other hand are entirely incapable of doing the same.

> Why do you stress the fact that the gifts are things that particularly women
> may appreciate?

Because of that exact wording: "may"

 _To give a completely relevant example:_ when I was a child my sister would
often play in the mud, climb rocks and tree, blow up ants, make paper planes
and play Lego with me. In the exact same way I would happily play barbies with
her (yes, I played barbies - usually Ken, very manly). Were we gender
stereotyping eachother? No, we were having fun together. I can just _imagine_
the fun we would have had if we restricted ourselves to gender-neutral
activities. Maybe I just grew up in a world where differences were _respected_
, not swept under the carpet.

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err4nt
Seems relevant! For those of you who have never met a woman, they also have
faces and nails just like us! What a thoughtful and anthropocentric gift :)

Now it's not like _only_ women have faces and nails, but hey a gift is a gift!

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judk
> In addition to the mirrors and nail files, Goldman Sachs provided T-shirts
> and key chains to hold headphone cords.

(Doesn't say if the t-shirts were women's cuts)

Google brought socks.

~~~
ohyes
Everyone likes clean socks

