Few Women in Computer Science? Blame the Geeks!

As a woman with a BS in computer science who likes Star Trek, video games, and coke, I find this freakin hilarious. I take it Zachary Quinto was not on any of the posters?

didn’t stop me.

Geekiness is what makes me interested in those fields.

Wow, could they be more biased and sexist? Since when do we define enjoying computer games, science-fiction memorabilia and junk food as masculine? I enjoy all those things and I know a lot of other women who enjoy them as well. The inference is that women who DO enjoy those things are masculine and therefore abnormal. It’s ignorance like that that pushes women away from the sciences.

I loved science and technology and I wanted to love math but the teachers I had made me feel excluded and unwanted in those fields. As a woman I often feel that way around men now, not because their maleness is intimidating but because their attitude is. I don’t want to stereotype all men, obviously there are men who treat women with respect regardless of the occasion or situation, but a lot of guys treat women interested in math/science/technology/gaming as if we’re either to ignorant to really understand it or some sort of rarity like an albino deer.

Women will get involved in these fields more when they don’t feel excluded, oppressed, disregarded and under appreciated. In other words, when we’re treated with as much respect as the men in the room.

San Francisco Bay ACM started the ball rolling for this event for girls 7-10 to attract them to computer science jobs. http://dare2bdigital.blogspot.com/2009_07_01_archive.html

sooooo you’re saying that women avoid the sciences because they’re shallow?

I remember reading this study before. These 40 women were already decided as fine arts and humanities majors and were asked at the most basic level would you rather work in this neutral clean office or that messy office.
I would take clean office and then personalize it with *My* action figures and toys.

I work as a developer and I am male and I can attest to the environment often being hostile. Not just to women, but overall. It’s competitive and there’s a macho side to it. I’ve seen people brag about working til 1 AM. There’s yelling when schedules slip. There’s sometimes a locker room vibe. I don’t know if that’s exclusive to CS though. It’s something that I’ve seen in male dominated places in other fields. I’d have to say construction sites were worse. (Was there a study on that?)

There are probably a lot of reasons why women don’t go into CS as much. I would note the statistics classes I had, which were quite technical, had a lot of women in them, maybe half or more. The Operating Systems class I took though, had less than 10% women in it and it was a requirement for the CS degree.

As far as this study, I can see dumb inferences being made from it, ie, women don’t like Sci Fi posters or something. “That stereotype doesn’t appeal to many women who don’t like the portrait of masculinity that it evokes.” I’d be inclined to assume they don’t like the indication of unprofessionalism it evoked in them as compared with the other non-tradional workplaces, (rightly or wrongly).

I’d be interested in just hearing directly from female college students why they weren’t going for CS degrees. Something as subjective as why you go into a particular field isn’t going to be easy to study scientifically.

Sorry, but woman have no one but themselves to blame. The truth is, computer science is a difficult major. CompSci majors have to work all-nighters while the business majors are out “networking” in the bars. This is the real reason women stay out of CompSci.

I am a woman, a hot one I hear and most people thing that I am in business. During my first day at Comp Sci grad class someone asked if I was lost. Till i crushed them during tests and presentations.

I agree with the premise of this study, that CS and ‘Nerds’ are a daunting group. there is a definite group mentality but its based more on show boating and fear of people realizing just how little you do know that it is about any actual women being intimidated by a physical environment. As Necronomoc recoversy said;…post from the 50′s. The study misses its mark by making a stupid physical space argument.

No doubt its an intimidating environment. But for human reasons. I always felt this field is about showing off and he/she who shows off the most is considered the expert when we should use measures that other industries use like licenses for doctors or law or engineering. Maybe then we would be less needing to be closed off and engage other non tech people more..

I am a girl, has a BS in math and minor in CS. I taught myself how to build iPhone apps and I created a personal clothing app for the iPhone and iPod touch. Computer science requires sitting in front of a computer for a long period of time alone either coding or reading documentation, and that may seem boring and lonely. Most girls enjoy being around other people, learn and do things together. I think CS lacks the social aspect. I am sure guys appreciate girls who keep a good visual presentation and vice versa. Looking geeky is not a validation of one’s ability to master a machine. Girls should not need to feel they have to dress nerdy or appreciate nerdy things to fit in. Star Trek Star Wars alike were created by men and for men to fulfil their fantasies, it’s annoying people assume you have to like these sci fi stories if you are in CS. Nerds don’t need a makeover, the field in general needs one badly.