Geeks Drive Girls Out of Computer Science

Live Science ^ | Dec 15, 2009 | Jeanna Bryner

[stylin_geek]

You can say that again.

I knew a guy, computer coding wizard, did database support, etc. Worked for a big outfit making over 6 figures, maybe 30 years old.

Married an incredibly hot gal. He certainly was no Adonis.

By the way, very nice guy. Helped me out with a couple of minor projects at a nominal price.

[SoDak]

There are zero women in my data center. Fine by me, I’m already married to a beautiful woman, and don’t have to endure the foolishness of having mixed company in the data center. It’s very freeing after working with a lot of women on the sales team before my current job.

[a fool in paradise]

Women might steer clear of studying it, but they seem to flock to computer nerds in the real world when they see the paychecks the nerds bring home.

Or when they need their computer working again.

Thing is, a lot of it is irrational fear and just tuning out to working on it.

An iphone is a minicomputer. And people of all ages and both sexes trick those out with all sorts of modifications. Maybe because they see it as a competition, one upsmanship, and an expression of their personal style.

[thefactor]

What city? I make over 6 figs in Manhattan and am borderline foodstamp material! In order for a nerdy guy to get a smoking hottie around here, you have to pull around 500K or so a year.

[stylin_geek]

Umm, no, if you look lower left, I believe that is a very young Bill Gates.

[The Klingon]

But if you do, you can try again

[kalee]

Barefoot and pregnant, although naked is a good start to getting pregnant.

[a fool in paradise]

Moe Tucker from the Velvet Underground worked for IBM before she got behind the drums.

[LizardQueen]

Ugh. If any woman is being “chased out “ of computer science because of a few talking Yodas, odd posters, and conversations held in Klingon they are NEVER going to make it out in the field in the real work world. Good riddance.

LQ, 25 year IT veteran who has befriended the bearers of the talking Yodas.

[Ukiapah Heep]

They have cooties.

[stylin_geek]

Phoenix, AZ.

Btw, I’ve had job offers in other cities that paid more than what I currently make. However, after I ran a cost of living calculation, it turned out I would lose money if I took the job.

I actually had a recruiter get upset with me when I pointed it out after declining the job offer.

[OpusatFR]

What a steaming pile!

Some of my sons are computer engineers. When they were in university, all the girls without exception were Chinese, Indian or other Asian.

Not one Caucasian girl in the classes.

So girls are taking the degress in IT.

[a fool in paradise]

Because it’s drudgery. What can be done to make it fun?

When does work become FUN? When? When?

PS in prison, you get time off for good behavior. at work, they give you even more workload if you are completing your project on time

[kalee]

ping

[KarlInOhio]

"When people think of computer science, the image that immediately pops into many of their minds is of the computer geek surrounded by such things as computer games, science-fiction memorabilia and junk food," said lead researcher Sapna Cheryan, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Washington. "That stereotype doesn't appeal to many women who don't like the portrait of masculinity that it evokes."

Because nothing oozes raw masculinity like an engineer or computer programmer. Next thing you know they'll want Scotty to make the engineering deck more welcoming to Sulu.

Now, back to working on my C++ variant I call K++. It is very similar to C++, but uses Klingon terms for all the reserved words.

[netmilsmom]

>>My favorite part of the job side of CS was the lack of other women...<<

Amen!
I get slammed when I say that I would rather work with a whole bunch of men than one woman.

Women in business are backstabbing drama queens.

One of my daughters wants to be an Occupational Therapist.
The other wants to go into EE.

I think I’ll push the first one to EE too.

[Night Hides Not]

That’s fine with me. Less of a chance affirmative action will have an effect on my profession.

The vast majority of those women are now lawyers or CPAs.

[x]

"When people think of computer science, the image that immediately pops into many of their minds is of the computer geek surrounded by such things as computer games, science-fiction memorabilia and junk food," said lead researcher Sapna Cheryan, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Washington. "That stereotype doesn't appeal to many women who don't like the portrait of masculinity that it evokes."

Because the geeks are just too masculine?

Or because they're not masculine enough?

It looks like guys lose either way.

Maybe this is a prejudice the women have to overcome on their own.

[DCPatriot]

[GeronL]

Hey, the white girls are all chasing Tiger Woods or at home practicing with cucmbers. Publik schools suksess