

Why women quit technology careers - edw519
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=319212&source=rss_news10

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visitor4rmindia
From an Indian perspective (the article mentions India is a bit better than
the US) I know quite a few women IT workers most of whom enjoy their jobs and
are good at them. But I also know many more who quit - usually to stay at home
and raise a family.

Looking around my current office I see a lot of men and much fewer women. Of
the men, I _know_ quite a few who don't enjoy their work but stick it out
cause they are the breadwinners and need to provide for their families. Maybe
if they were given the option (socially and biologically?) of staying home
with the kids they would do just that.

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helveticaman
I didn't like the article. It was rather...well, it blamed it all on men,
really. Didn't take SEXUAL DIMORPHISM INTO ACCOUNT. Sheesh.

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ericb
While the dimorphism argument is interesting, this article was focused on the
later drop-off in women in the field. In other words, women had already self-
selected _into_ the field, and were leaving at greater rates.

At some places, there is most certainly a boys club atmosphere, including
where my wife works (in IT). The stories she comes home with are crazy.

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Jem
While I appreciate the support that these "women in technology" articles
invariably generate, I can't help but feel victimised by them. It's almost as
if - as a woman - I must fail, otherwise I'm not doing things right.

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systems
I would to add that it was also noticed that in more reserved nations /
communities and social class ... more women are into IT

This observation was first brought to my attention after a Linux User Group
event in Egypt .... many many many women came most of them veiled.

I also noticed the IT field in Egypt have more women from lower and more
reserved social classes

I am not sure how this observation can be helpful but its sure an area to
investigate more.

My personal observation is that IT have a geeky laborish image (laborish as in
you sit infront of the screen for hours without human contact) that repulse
more femimin women, and by which poorer and more reserved women are not
bothered, in other words, its a tuff field with tuff work envrionment, which
is only suitable for tuff women (poor and reserved)

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ComputerGuru
Can we stop posting all these articles that claim to know the secret of why
men like some things and women like others? These ridiculous articles aren't
accomplishing anything!

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hugh
Are you suggesting that:

(a) There is no reason why men like some things and women like others

(b) There is a reason but it is unknowable, or

(c) There is a reason and it is knowable, but it will never appear in any past
or future article of this sort?

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yummyfajitas
(d) All the articles I've seen so far post the same "reasons" which fail to
explain:

(1) why women are underrepresented in math heavy fields,

(2) but are not underrepresented in other high status, high skill fields such
as law, business and medicine.

When an article has an explanation that is specific to technology/science, go
ahead and post it. But there isn't much point in rehashing the same flawed
ideas.

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tptacek
At another Hacker News commenter's suggestion, I'm reading "Growing a
Business" --- I'm just a couple pages in, but hooked. One of the first points
it makes is the competitive advantage the US gets from utilizing the female
work force.

Articles like this make me wonder how much of the long-term market we're
surrendering to India and China. I've met a lot of Indian female devs.

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ardit33
I've met a lot of Indian female devs. -- I actually don't know a single white
dev. software engineer.

Asian born, Indian, one Turkish girl (she does hardware engineering), yet I
have yet to meet or work with a white american woman engineer.

I still keep in touch with some of my classmates, and the only white girl we
had in class, (and she was my really good friend), is doing project management
now.

I know for fact, that many indian women, if they are still with and H1-B, or
going thru the green card process, can't switch jobs.

But it seems, that the women that can switch, at some point will. It is just
an unattractive profession to them.

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tptacek
I don't want to make too big a thing out of it. My superficial observation is,
there are more Asian female devs than North American female devs --- which, if
true, is a problem for North American competitiveness long term.

It's probably not true.

I don't agree that engineering is an unattractive profession for women. At
all.

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jgamman
from the Aspen study link that this is commenting on: "Women experience a
perfect storm in their mid- to late thirties: They hit serious career hurdles
precisely when family pressures intensify." so i'm confused as to why the
article dismisses this with a simple "No.".

