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"If more programmers wear pretty dresses maybe that look will become stereotypical of programming, but it hasn't historically been the case" She makes the same

"If more programmers wear pretty dresses maybe that look will become stereotypical of programming, but it hasn't historically been the case" She makes the same claim, but instead of accepting that she has to conform to style norms set by the opposite gender, she's trying to encourage more programmers to wear dresses and such, which should be perfectly respectable for a programmer at a conference.

c22 12y ago
I think there are dresses that would not garner this response. Wearing lingerie would be another way to present oneself as feminine, but I think even the author would reject this as inappropriate attire for a tech conference.
- stephenboyd 12y ago
  Please tell us more about the dresses that would not garner this response and how they are different from what she wore.
  - c22 12y ago
    Somewhere down in this thread bhayden posted this link: http://dressforweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Korean-version-of-the-2013-summer-dress-with-belt-buckle-short-sleeved-plus-size-casual-dress.jpg http://dressforweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Korean-ver... I can't speak for everyone, but something like this seems totally appropriate for the occasion and would not cause me to make any knee jerk assumption. Obviously neither of us know exactly what the author was wearing since it isn't mentioned in the article, but this quote leads me to believe she may not have been exercising the most restrained judgement in this area: "Once an ex-partner told me “You look better in jeans and a tshirt. Why do you wear dresses? Why do you wear make up? You don’t have to dress up to impress me.” That moment led me to so many realizations. It made me realize that most people think femininity is an act to impress men. It was then that I was 100% sure my dressing up wasn’t for him at all, I didn’t at all care if a partner disliked my dresses, or makeup. I was wearing them for me. And it was then, that I realized that continuing to wearing dresses just for myself was a totally valid way to say a big FUCK YOU to the patriarchy." Now don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to deny that sexism exists in this industry or the world. I think people should be able to wear whatever they want wherever they like, but the pragmatist in me thinks some of the responsibility for these issues would be easier solved by the individual than by expecting everyone else to modify their behavior.
    - stephenboyd 12y ago
      Here's the author speaking at a programming conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6071MRIzCA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6071MRIzCA As you can see, she is appropriately attired.

c22 12y ago

I think there are dresses that would not garner this response. Wearing lingerie would be another way to present oneself as feminine, but I think even the author would reject this as inappropriate attire for a tech conference.

stephenboyd 12y ago
Please tell us more about the dresses that would not garner this response and how they are different from what she wore.
- c22 12y ago
  Somewhere down in this thread bhayden posted this link: http://dressforweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Korean-version-of-the-2013-summer-dress-with-belt-buckle-short-sleeved-plus-size-casual-dress.jpg http://dressforweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Korean-ver... I can't speak for everyone, but something like this seems totally appropriate for the occasion and would not cause me to make any knee jerk assumption. Obviously neither of us know exactly what the author was wearing since it isn't mentioned in the article, but this quote leads me to believe she may not have been exercising the most restrained judgement in this area: "Once an ex-partner told me “You look better in jeans and a tshirt. Why do you wear dresses? Why do you wear make up? You don’t have to dress up to impress me.” That moment led me to so many realizations. It made me realize that most people think femininity is an act to impress men. It was then that I was 100% sure my dressing up wasn’t for him at all, I didn’t at all care if a partner disliked my dresses, or makeup. I was wearing them for me. And it was then, that I realized that continuing to wearing dresses just for myself was a totally valid way to say a big FUCK YOU to the patriarchy." Now don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to deny that sexism exists in this industry or the world. I think people should be able to wear whatever they want wherever they like, but the pragmatist in me thinks some of the responsibility for these issues would be easier solved by the individual than by expecting everyone else to modify their behavior.
  - stephenboyd 12y ago
    Here's the author speaking at a programming conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6071MRIzCA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6071MRIzCA As you can see, she is appropriately attired.