The word "sexism" is too often used without any discussion of its definition. Here are a few definitions for "sexism" from Google: I. discriminatory or abusive

The word "sexism" is too often used without any discussion of its definition. Here are a few definitions for "sexism" from Google: I. discriminatory or abusive behavior towards members of the opposite sex II. prejudice or discrimination based on sex; especially: discrimination against women III. attitudes or behavior based on traditional stereotypes of sexual roles IV. Attitudes, conditions, or behaviors that promote stereotyping of social roles based on gender. The sexist remark in II is quite common. In some dictionaries the word "sexism" is itself defined in sexist terms: "sexist - a man with a chauvinistic belief in the inferiority of women". It may be warranted by the attitude's prevalence; it is sexist nonetheless because it promotes stereotyping. Definition IV is probably the most enlightening of the bunch. One valid yet unpopular answer to the question "why so few female software engineers" is that most parents provide a sexist (IV) upbringing. Given the standard attitudes (gender identification), conditions (girl's toy collection), and behaviors (mom's occupation), the odds are stacked against a female becoming a software engineer even before she enters the first grade. These things change but it takes generations. Inspecting my own behavior as a male software engineer, I would find myself guilty of several of the attitudes and behaviors mentioned in the article. My first hope is that I do not discriminate by gender (I'm a jerk to men and women equally) and my second hope is that I can be less of a jerk to everyone.