2 ms·

Most dudes aren't into tech/programming either, but you wouldn't expect someone to say it to you.

smt88 12y ago
As abc_lisper implied, the more correct phrasing would have been, "Most people who are into this stuff are men." Either way, it was a pointless thing to say, and I'm never surprised when women are offended by that kind of statement.
abc_lisper 12y ago
Socrates is a Man. Not all men are Socrates.
b6 12y ago
You're right, if taken literally, but I'd bet that the person who said the remark just meant that far fewer women than men are into tech/programming.
- x0x0 12y ago
  Or they meant, "Hi! Mind if I backhandedly point out you don't belong here (again?)" Because, you know, that's how people interpret it when you remark upon their presence or skills. It shouldn't take much empathy to understand how peers repeatedly being surprised at your presence and/or skills would get old. Understanding how others perceive your actions, not merely how you perceive them, is one of things that (should) distinguish adults from children.
  - b6 12y ago
    > Or they meant, "Hi! Mind if I backhandedly point out you don't belong here (again?)" Because, you know, that's how people interpret it when you remark upon their presence or skills. I don't think you're right to say that there's a single way that people will interpret statements like that. Statements like that can be made out of genuine admiration. I have made such statements out of admiration, and statements like that have been made about me (about my ability to speak Mandarin, in China). It seems to be a fact that women in tech are rare. I have found it to be true in my life that if you are rare or strange in some way, life will probably be harder for you in some ways, because it will take a while for other people to learn to deal with you. You can choose to look at it really specifically as "sexism", but I prefer to think about it as "people don't handle unfamiliar situations very well".
Zigurd 12y ago
Indeed. Think of the equivalent statement: "Most dudes are such slobs, drunks, and lunkheads, they would suck at coding." That's true, and inappropriate in the workplace.

smt88 12y ago

As abc_lisper implied, the more correct phrasing would have been, "Most people who are into this stuff are men." Either way, it was a pointless thing to say, and I'm never surprised when women are offended by that kind of statement.

abc_lisper 12y ago

Socrates is a Man. Not all men are Socrates.

b6 12y ago

You're right, if taken literally, but I'd bet that the person who said the remark just meant that far fewer women than men are into tech/programming.

x0x0 12y ago
Or they meant, "Hi! Mind if I backhandedly point out you don't belong here (again?)" Because, you know, that's how people interpret it when you remark upon their presence or skills. It shouldn't take much empathy to understand how peers repeatedly being surprised at your presence and/or skills would get old. Understanding how others perceive your actions, not merely how you perceive them, is one of things that (should) distinguish adults from children.
- b6 12y ago
  > Or they meant, "Hi! Mind if I backhandedly point out you don't belong here (again?)" Because, you know, that's how people interpret it when you remark upon their presence or skills. I don't think you're right to say that there's a single way that people will interpret statements like that. Statements like that can be made out of genuine admiration. I have made such statements out of admiration, and statements like that have been made about me (about my ability to speak Mandarin, in China). It seems to be a fact that women in tech are rare. I have found it to be true in my life that if you are rare or strange in some way, life will probably be harder for you in some ways, because it will take a while for other people to learn to deal with you. You can choose to look at it really specifically as "sexism", but I prefer to think about it as "people don't handle unfamiliar situations very well".

Zigurd 12y ago

Indeed. Think of the equivalent statement: "Most dudes are such slobs, drunks, and lunkheads, they would suck at coding." That's true, and inappropriate in the workplace.