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> as though as the lone female developer you are “representing” all women developers. If you make a mistake it’s because you’re a girl, not because you’re junio
by sndean 10y ago
> as though as the lone female developer you are “representing” all women developers. If you make a mistake it’s because you’re a girl, not because you’re junior. Or tired or hungover or having a bad day.”
Couldn't this be true for any group though? Not to lessen what she's trying to say, but if you're in any way a minority in a field, aren't you in some way representing that whole group?
- sageabilly 10y agoTurn this around: If you're a man, aren't you in some way representing all men? (Answer: no. Same with anyone, regardless of minority status. Just because I'm a member of a minority doesn't mean the entire minority is homogeneous.)
- mc32 10y agoWhat you say is true. We only really represent ourselves and when it comes to it, no one is going to help you but yourself --but other people will generalize from your identifiable characteristics (ethnicity, sex, school, height, demeanor, style, speech, etc.) because that's the way we all do things every day.
- return0 10y agoBut you 're not turning it around, because men are not minority. Think this though: If you 're greek in some way you 're assumed to be representing all greeks.
- sndean 10y agoI was thinking more along the lines of how a newly-hired male nurse is perceived by female nurses. If he screws up, is it likely that they'll think "men don't make good nurses" and ignore the fact that he's new? So, no I'm not suggesting that I represent all men. I'm saying it's possible a male nurse may in some way be representing all male nurses to his female nurse coworkers.
- ikurei 10y agoIt is not only true of women, but it's specially true for them. If a work mate is a member of the Jewish/Mormon/atheist minority, I may not even know. And if I know, it's easier to forget. If I am a man (and I am), I am not gonna forget that the person next to me is a woman. It may be also true of, for instance, rate. There was no black people, and very few Asian and Latin American, where I studied and in most companies I've worked for. I, of course, don't consider myself a bigot (who does), but I guess I'm as likely to hold that kind of bias against black people than woman. Or significantly more, since I have worked with several women, and I have never worked with a black person (obviously not American).
- duaneb 10y agoBigotry may specially target women (I don't know if this is true), but this doesn't mean that jewish/mormon/atheists are any less minorities that can define the person to others because they aren't distinct classifiers in your head.
- Nadya 10y agoNope. Related to point 4 of the article: it is about perception. Get over the perception that for whatever reason "you represent the whole" and it becomes a non-issue. If she makes a mistake, it is because she was tired/hung over/didn't fully think out the edge cases/stereotypical programmer mistake. Not because she is a woman.
- 7Z7 10y agoIt becomes a non-issue until the next time someone reminds you that it was because you are a woman, are Black, are gay, are whatever. Seems like it'll be a constant struggle for you until it isn't for everyone else, if you know what I mean.
- return0 10y agoThat is how it is perceived to be. It doesnt mean it's true, but it's what people perceive, and it's a pervasive phenomenon in all social environments.