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Sounds like it was great last year, so it's absolutely worth it. Such events are definitely needed.

by rollo 13y ago

steveklabnik 13y ago
They're not just needed, they're _massively_ successful. While I have some small issue with some of the branding, it gets people to show up. I know someone who tried to get a 'new people programming' event started for six months, never got more than 4 or 5 people, and they were all men, even though he was trying to be woman-friendly. He then changed to make it a RailsGirls event, and he had 300 people apply for the 15 seats he was budgeting for...
bttf 13y ago
Why are they needed? To counter genderism? If so, doesn't it seem self-defeating to try to outgrow our sexist prejudices by actively countering them? If women have suffered discrimination in the software development community, we can all make an effort not to let it happen. But to create an institutionalized/organized effort towards countering prejudice is to strengthen it by latching on to it, rather than acknowledging it and letting it go. EDIT: To clarify my point, I think we all need to be aware of not only genderism but unfounded prejudice in general, towards all human beings. An institution/organization or summer camp towards the equality of all seems to me a more equitable premise rather than a 'Girls-only' camp, which seems to be legitimate only because most of us are aware of the historical prejudices towards women.
- harrylyme 13y ago
  I hear that there are preschools in Sweden where any gender specific language usage is expressedly prohibited (e.g. young children aren't told if they are boys or girls to prevent perpetuating gender stereotypes during their formative years) Concerning gender equality: is there any lesson to be learned by the Sweden example? NYTimes Article on Swedish Pre-schools: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/14/world/europe/swedish-school-de-emphasizes-gender-lines.html?_r=0 http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/14/world/europe/swedish-schoo...
- justinsteele 13y ago
  We can all simply "make an effort not to let it happen" in 2014? Shucks, I wish we had thought of this earlier! Such an easy solution.
  - bttf 13y ago
    I'm not offering a solution but just what I think is a more sensible way of approaching the problem.

Sounds like it was great last year, so it's absolutely worth it. Such events are definitely needed.

by rollo 13y ago

Sounds like it was great last year, so it's absolutely worth it. Such events are definitely needed.

They're not just needed, they're _massively_ successful. While I have some small issue with some of the branding, it gets people to show up. I know someone who tried to get a 'new people programming' event started for six months, never got more than 4 or 5 people, and they were all men, even though he was trying to be woman-friendly. He then changed to make it a RailsGirls event, and he had 300 people apply for the 15 seats he was budgeting for...

bttf 13y ago

Why are they needed? To counter genderism? If so, doesn't it seem self-defeating to try to outgrow our sexist prejudices by actively countering them? If women have suffered discrimination in the software development community, we can all make an effort not to let it happen. But to create an institutionalized/organized effort towards countering prejudice is to strengthen it by latching on to it, rather than acknowledging it and letting it go. EDIT: To clarify my point, I think we all need to be aware of not only genderism but unfounded prejudice in general, towards all human beings. An institution/organization or summer camp towards the equality of all seems to me a more equitable premise rather than a 'Girls-only' camp, which seems to be legitimate only because most of us are aware of the historical prejudices towards women.

harrylyme 13y ago
I hear that there are preschools in Sweden where any gender specific language usage is expressedly prohibited (e.g. young children aren't told if they are boys or girls to prevent perpetuating gender stereotypes during their formative years) Concerning gender equality: is there any lesson to be learned by the Sweden example? NYTimes Article on Swedish Pre-schools: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/14/world/europe/swedish-school-de-emphasizes-gender-lines.html?_r=0 http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/14/world/europe/swedish-schoo...
justinsteele 13y ago
We can all simply "make an effort not to let it happen" in 2014? Shucks, I wish we had thought of this earlier! Such an easy solution.
- bttf 13y ago
  I'm not offering a solution but just what I think is a more sensible way of approaching the problem.