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>“I had to deal with a lot of microaggressions, from being ignored to … realizing [some people were] not willing to help.” As a woman, I've certainly experienc

>“I had to deal with a lot of microaggressions, from being ignored to … realizing [some people were] not willing to help.” As a woman, I've certainly experienced this but I would also posit, don't most men? Tech circles: we're not known to be the most gregarious, un-myopic bunch. The remainder of the article makes more sense: social outreach and less restrictions on acceptance in programs, being almost like an incubator for businesses not ready to join incubators. I had to bite the bullet as a founder myself and accept that I don't look or sound the same as others around me at the funding/marketing/sale table: I've learned to use that to my advantage however. Over time, I've found those I do business with respect me for my fairness, consistency, and interest in them as people (which may have come from my socialisation as a woman): asking business associates how they and their family are goes a long way to building long-term relationships.

troupe 8y ago
> I would also posit, don't most men As a man I can confirm that there are people who I'd like to have help me who aren't willing to help me.
- qu4z-2 8y ago
  Yes, that's pretty much life. It'd be great if we could provide all the support anyone could need, but we haven't really found a way to do that yet. More cynically/controversially, I wonder where she got the impression that it's normal for people to help her with things just because it would be advantageous to her. I think it's possibly the case that people are more willing to help women than men in general life[0], and if that is less so the case in tech, then it could feel like deliberate exclusion. "When you're accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression.", as the saying goes. On the other hand, it very much could be the case that people are treating her worse than others. There's not one "tech", and while I've had a great experience, I'm mostly familiar with the "small dev shop" scene in a small, laid-back, non-US country so I really shouldn't generalise. That said, I'm glad people are going and solving the problems they're facing. Good on them, and I wish them luck! [0]: Whether that's due to attraction, sexist views regarding their competence, gender roles, or something else entirely I wouldn't venture to guess.
mmt 8y ago
> I've certainly experienced this but I would also posit, don't most men? Thanks for pointing that out. When I read the article, I succumbed to my annoyance with the neologism "microaggression" that I essentially glossed over the statement. This is actually the root of my annoyance, which is that if an aggression is so "micro", then it's actually unremarkable, so having a word for it is downright paradoxical. I'm sure men experience such borderline-hostile indifference from others, as well, especially, as you say, in the technical fields. I'm also sure it's a highly subjective experience, for both participants, which makes it so hard to measure, let alone discuss.

troupe 8y ago

> I would also posit, don't most men As a man I can confirm that there are people who I'd like to have help me who aren't willing to help me.

qu4z-2 8y ago
Yes, that's pretty much life. It'd be great if we could provide all the support anyone could need, but we haven't really found a way to do that yet. More cynically/controversially, I wonder where she got the impression that it's normal for people to help her with things just because it would be advantageous to her. I think it's possibly the case that people are more willing to help women than men in general life[0], and if that is less so the case in tech, then it could feel like deliberate exclusion. "When you're accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression.", as the saying goes. On the other hand, it very much could be the case that people are treating her worse than others. There's not one "tech", and while I've had a great experience, I'm mostly familiar with the "small dev shop" scene in a small, laid-back, non-US country so I really shouldn't generalise. That said, I'm glad people are going and solving the problems they're facing. Good on them, and I wish them luck! [0]: Whether that's due to attraction, sexist views regarding their competence, gender roles, or something else entirely I wouldn't venture to guess.

mmt 8y ago

> I've certainly experienced this but I would also posit, don't most men? Thanks for pointing that out. When I read the article, I succumbed to my annoyance with the neologism "microaggression" that I essentially glossed over the statement. This is actually the root of my annoyance, which is that if an aggression is so "micro", then it's actually unremarkable, so having a word for it is downright paradoxical. I'm sure men experience such borderline-hostile indifference from others, as well, especially, as you say, in the technical fields. I'm also sure it's a highly subjective experience, for both participants, which makes it so hard to measure, let alone discuss.