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Unfortunately, our culture generally views sport as a male domain. While you and I are probably aware that there's nothing intrinsically "male" about sport, it
by tomlock 12y ago
Unfortunately, our culture generally views sport as a male domain. While you and I are probably aware that there's nothing intrinsically "male" about sport, it can feel a little weird for someone to treat you as if your understanding is aligned with the gendered assumption. Anyone, if they don't understand the rules of the game, could still ask what they are. Would you feel weird if someone assumed you knew the rules because you were a man? How could you tell if they assumed that because you were a man, or because of some other reason?
I think the point the developer is trying to make is that all this could be avoided by using another context in the challenge. Not using a different challenge is at least somewhat displaying that they didn't think how this situation might make someone feel.
- Perdition 12y ago>Not using a different challenge Like what? Even something like maths can be claimed to be "viewed generally as a male domain". And once you start accounting for ethnicity and social background I think you would find it incredibly difficult to come up with something that had no possibly offensive cultural baggage. Actually, maybe the challenge could be to design a challenge that was neutral. P.S. Considering soccer's limited popularity in the US I doubt most candidates would know the rules.
- tomlock 12y agoWe may very well find it very difficult to come up with something that has no possibly offensive cultural baggage. Do you think soccer was one where someone made even an attempt to mitigate that baggage?
- davesnothere 12y agoI agree with the author that it would be better to have alternative coding challenges, even though interest in soccer is obviously not a male-only thing.
- Perdition 12y agoPossibly, as soccer isn't exactly a premier sport in the US. If it was American football, baseball, or basketball (with which the average American male is more familiar) I think the authors point would be stronger. I could make an argument that using a sport which has massive popularity outside Western European culture is a sign that the interviewer was thinking about diversity. Sports are good candidates for these challenges as they have reasonably complex rule, so it isn't necessarily that the interviewer was just selecting something they liked.
- DanBC 12y agoOr the could the company frame the help-giving to make it clear that this is offered to everyone?
- Danieru 12y agoBut that would just make hiring feel yet more impersonal. More impersonal is the last thing hiring needs.