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ugh. I really can't help but cringe whenever anyone tries to throw their hat into the ring and take on this problem, even if they have an inside take. CS educa

by awongh 16y ago

ugh. I really can't help but cringe whenever anyone tries to throw their hat into the ring and take on this problem, even if they have an inside take. CS education also focuses a lot of effort on puzzles and very abstract concepts when practical applications where you can see the why and how might work better for women (and a hell of a lot of men). I like yummy algorithms, but we could make CS education more accessible by putting them in context. I kind of wish this had happened when I was doing CS. What does that say about me? (I'm a guy) I think these kind of over-generalizations about an entire gender do nothing but contribute to the PC echo chamber. I don't know what contributes to the gender disparity, but I can say that I have plenty of male friends who also can't really contemplate being a programmer, and for many of the same reasons that are cited that women may not be attracted to the profession... I think it can be an intimidating profession no matter what your gender- anything like coding that has such an insular culture is the same.... Maybe it's just a chicken and egg problem.

Keile 16y ago
Seems like you put a lot of effort into this reply.
- awongh 16y ago
  I did, because in I feel like gender stereotyping in general is overstated. Are there differences between men and women? Of course there are, but blanket statements, like the one you made below I suspect women aren't attracted to computer science careers as often as men because they generally like more artistic and creative ventures ...I feel like it's statements like this that don't help things. Women are more artistic and creative? I'd like to think that gender is a more nuanced (and maybe fluid?) thing, that has more subtle qualities to it than reductive statements like that suggest it does.
  - marquis 16y ago
    i'm glad to read your comments, as i feel the same way. i get remarks based on my gender from both men and women. the fact of the matter is, i am female but i am also the type of person who likes to spend a lot of time alone thinking and controlling my immediate environment. thus computing appeals to me. i also was introduced to computing at the right age, before adolescence when being sociable wasn't so much of an urge so even though i didn't code much through my teenage years i was able to pick it up later very easily and with confidence. i think it's really this simple: a blend of personality type, circumstance and privilege.

by awongh 16y ago

Keile 16y ago

Seems like you put a lot of effort into this reply.

awongh 16y ago
I did, because in I feel like gender stereotyping in general is overstated. Are there differences between men and women? Of course there are, but blanket statements, like the one you made below I suspect women aren't attracted to computer science careers as often as men because they generally like more artistic and creative ventures ...I feel like it's statements like this that don't help things. Women are more artistic and creative? I'd like to think that gender is a more nuanced (and maybe fluid?) thing, that has more subtle qualities to it than reductive statements like that suggest it does.
- marquis 16y ago
  i'm glad to read your comments, as i feel the same way. i get remarks based on my gender from both men and women. the fact of the matter is, i am female but i am also the type of person who likes to spend a lot of time alone thinking and controlling my immediate environment. thus computing appeals to me. i also was introduced to computing at the right age, before adolescence when being sociable wasn't so much of an urge so even though i didn't code much through my teenage years i was able to pick it up later very easily and with confidence. i think it's really this simple: a blend of personality type, circumstance and privilege.