Re: 'Geek' image scares women away from tech industry ? The Register

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<anecdotal-data>

There are fewer women, per capita, at the IETF than at my day job.  

There are fewer women, per capita, at the IETF than at any of the RIR meeting I have attended (incl. RIPE, APNIC, ARIN).

</anecdotal-data>


On Apr 30, 2012, at 5:31 PM, Janet P Gunn wrote:

> My own anecdotes. 
> 
> Yes, it starts early. 
> 
> When I was 3 I announced that I was going to be a physicist when I grew up.  WHY? 
> 
> 1 - a physicist has a chair that  is on WHEELS, and spins ROUND and ROUND 
> 2 - a physicist has a blackboard with COLORED CHALK 
> 3 (and MOST important) a physicist has a CANDY machine in the hall outside his office. 
> 
> Well, I didn't become a physicist, but those features certainly put technology in a good light from an early age.!! 
> 
> Second, while the statistics may say something else, I find MORE WOMEN, in MORE RESPECTED positions, at IETF than in my work environment.
> 
> Janet
> 
> 
> ietf-bounces@xxxxxxxx wrote on 04/30/2012 10:13:50 AM:
> 
> > Mary Barnes <mary.ietf.barnes@xxxxxxxxx> 
> > Sent by: ietf-bounces@xxxxxxxx
> > 
> > 04/30/2012 10:13 AM 
> > 
> > To 
> > 
> > Riccardo Bernardini <framefritti@xxxxxxxxx> 
> > 
> > cc 
> > 
> > IETF discussion list <ietf@xxxxxxxx> 
> > 
> > Subject 
> > 
> > Re: 'Geek' image scares women away from tech industry ? The Register 
> > 
> > Yes, the article is far from complete.  But, your antecdote only 
> > goes to show your own bias towards women in science and engineering 
> > in general.  By the time most females reach high school they have 
> > already been conditioned that girls aren't as good as boys in math 
> > and science. There's a far amount of studies showing this - at least
> > in the US.  As Monique said it is a very complex issue.  Some of it 
> > starts at home and it starts extremely early.  It's far more common 
> > for girls to be told they are pretty rather than smart.  They have 
> > found some physiologic reasons that do influence math abilities - 
> > those with "math brains" tend to have higher levels of testosterone. 
> > That all said, it still doesn't explain why the percentage of women 
> > active in the IETF is less than the percentage of women that are in 
> > the field. But it might have something to do with IETFers sharing 
> > your perspective that women just aren't interested.  
> > Regards,
> > Mary. 
> >




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