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storytime. so, one of my last social outings (Feb) was a bunch of women in tech, out for drinks, telling war stories. at some point one says, a little sheepishly:
"i& #39;m pretty sure being a woman in tech has overall been a net positive for me, career-wise. is that.. ok? just me??"
"i& #39;m pretty sure being a woman in tech has overall been a net positive for me, career-wise. is that.. ok? just me??"
the table considers; approx half of us agree that yes, on balance, we felt our gender had helped as much as hindered, the rest did not.
but nearly everyone perceived a taboo against saying so, or acting like it& #39;s anything other than unmitigated oppression.. uphill both ways!
but nearly everyone perceived a taboo against saying so, or acting like it& #39;s anything other than unmitigated oppression.. uphill both ways!
so many women/nb folks have had/are having such a rough path, it almost feels like a betrayal of solidarity to center our very pedestrian mixed-bag experiences in tech, where things are just garden variety unfair sometimes, but whaddyagonnadoboutit. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
the fact is, everything you hear about tech is true. all of it!
it is a hellscape, it& #39;s riddled with every sort of bias, it& #39;s a meritocracy and an egalitarian utopia. YUP.
it& #39;s all just unevenly distributed.
tech has changed a lot for the better in my time, but it& #39;s checkered.
it is a hellscape, it& #39;s riddled with every sort of bias, it& #39;s a meritocracy and an egalitarian utopia. YUP.
it& #39;s all just unevenly distributed.
tech has changed a lot for the better in my time, but it& #39;s checkered.
there are lots of places out there where it& #39;s way easier to get hired, promoted, or get ahead as a straight white dude, absolutely. no doubt.
but there are *also* places where it& #39;s truthfully easier to get these opportunities as an underrepresented minority in tech.
but there are *also* places where it& #39;s truthfully easier to get these opportunities as an underrepresented minority in tech.
there are loads of hiring managers and organizations out there who are bending over backwards to source, recruit, train, sponsor, and retain women/URM -- doing their best to practice an affirmative action at the individual level.
their efforts *matter*, they make a difference.
their efforts *matter*, they make a difference.
one fact about being a woman in tech: you stand out. for better or for worse.
this can be a powerful asset. honeycomb and i absolutely benefited from the fact that everybody was hustling for women speakers when we were trying to spread the message of observability.
this can be a powerful asset. honeycomb and i absolutely benefited from the fact that everybody was hustling for women speakers when we were trying to spread the message of observability.
and with many events and publications aiming for gender parity for speakers and contributors, yet so many fewer women in the industry, there& #39;s a built-in advantage for any woman who puts her hand up. you may even get a straight-up invite, no competition necessary.
(worth mentioning that everyone present was white or Asian; i don& #39;t know if this would resonate with Black women/nb in engineering.)
i think what i& #39;m trying to say is this. many people in our industry have had horrendous experiences. that shit is real, and unacceptable.
i think what i& #39;m trying to say is this. many people in our industry have had horrendous experiences. that shit is real, and unacceptable.
but the fact that we talk about it so openly now, and so frequently, is itself a mark of progress! this shit was nowhere on the radar when i first got into tech.
i worry about the drumbeat of horror stories repelling women/nb away from these swank, highly salaried tech jobs.
i worry about the drumbeat of horror stories repelling women/nb away from these swank, highly salaried tech jobs.
i worry about the selection bias reflected in the way we never seem to hear from the many, many women in tech for whom their gender has never really felt like much of a big deal, a minor obstacle at most -- or those who even quietly, guiltily feel it& #39;s been to their advantage.
and i worry the most about women/nb folks staying in wretched situations because they believe every part of tech is equally abusive and rotten.
because it is NOT.
it is just unevenly distributed, the good and the bad.** there are veins of awesome. i hope you find one.
because it is NOT.
it is just unevenly distributed, the good and the bad.** there are veins of awesome. i hope you find one.
** ok fine, the whole world is a flaming dumpster fire 
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🙃" title="Auf den Kopf gestelltes Gesicht" aria-label="Emoji: Auf den Kopf gestelltes Gesicht">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🔥" title="Feuer" aria-label="Emoji: Feuer"> i& #39;m just saying: is tech really *worse*? worse than finance, law, media, entertainment, academia...let alone education, hospitality, fast food, etc? we have FAR more power than most workers in late capitalism.
