4 ms·

"Become perceived as a ghetto"? I go to plenty of mainstream tech events. But I also go to a gay geek event every month. Is that "ghettoing"? No. It's a fun ni

"Become perceived as a ghetto"? I go to plenty of mainstream tech events. But I also go to a gay geek event every month. Is that "ghettoing"? No. It's a fun night out with people who share both interests and sexual orientation. I don't see why this is such a big deal.

theorique 13y ago
I don't personally see it as a big deal or a problem. As a straight guy, I probably wouldn't attend, seeing as it's not intended to be an event for me (although I would if I were invited by a friend). I was mainly referring to "women only" of conference scale. I'm sure they are useful for networking and comparing notes (e.g. which companies are sexist, which companies promote women into leadership). But since most of the most distinguished / known people in tech still tend to be male, if women want to reach the top of the profession, they will also need the support and endorsement of men. So female-only events are fine, but they don't boost women's careers all on their own.
- tommorris 13y ago
  Incidentally, we welcome all people to the gay geek events. The original Girl Geek Dinners had a "men can come if they are invited by a female attendee" policy which worked reasonably well in ensuring that it didn't become ghettoised, but that it remained majority women. Incidentally, the original Girl Geek Dinners in London was created precisely after Sarah Blow, the woman who started it, went to a mainstream geek event and had someone just flat out presume that she was a marketing/PR girl rather than a developer because she was young, blonde and female. The point of them was to have a place to grump and grumble and have a night out where that was pretty much guaranteed not to happen. It was always hoped that it would be in addition to mainstream rather than gender-specific events. I don't think it's a choice between women going only to women-only events and women avoiding them as "ghettoising". As I said, I go to gay geeks one (or sometimes two) nights a month. There's plenty of other days for other events.
  - theorique 13y ago
    It was always hoped that it would be in addition to mainstream rather than gender-specific events. That makes sense. Special events for specific sub-communities is good. And participating in the broader community culture (and criticizing / opposing it when necessary) is also good.

theorique 13y ago

I don't personally see it as a big deal or a problem. As a straight guy, I probably wouldn't attend, seeing as it's not intended to be an event for me (although I would if I were invited by a friend). I was mainly referring to "women only" of conference scale. I'm sure they are useful for networking and comparing notes (e.g. which companies are sexist, which companies promote women into leadership). But since most of the most distinguished / known people in tech still tend to be male, if women want to reach the top of the profession, they will also need the support and endorsement of men. So female-only events are fine, but they don't boost women's careers all on their own.

tommorris 13y ago
Incidentally, we welcome all people to the gay geek events. The original Girl Geek Dinners had a "men can come if they are invited by a female attendee" policy which worked reasonably well in ensuring that it didn't become ghettoised, but that it remained majority women. Incidentally, the original Girl Geek Dinners in London was created precisely after Sarah Blow, the woman who started it, went to a mainstream geek event and had someone just flat out presume that she was a marketing/PR girl rather than a developer because she was young, blonde and female. The point of them was to have a place to grump and grumble and have a night out where that was pretty much guaranteed not to happen. It was always hoped that it would be in addition to mainstream rather than gender-specific events. I don't think it's a choice between women going only to women-only events and women avoiding them as "ghettoising". As I said, I go to gay geeks one (or sometimes two) nights a month. There's plenty of other days for other events.
- theorique 13y ago
  It was always hoped that it would be in addition to mainstream rather than gender-specific events. That makes sense. Special events for specific sub-communities is good. And participating in the broader community culture (and criticizing / opposing it when necessary) is also good.