If ever I had a notion that an expression of solidarity for women in tech was unnecessary or quixotic, the response to this article on this very forum would be sufficient to dispel it.
HN has actually improved dramatically in recent years. There used to be no one like you speaking up in support. And, yet, it took me a long time to see the sexism here because it was already so much more civil than other places I had known.
(In case you are unaware, I appear to be the highest ranked openly female member here. I strongly suspect I really am because I have been saying that for a couple of years or so and no one has shot me down yet with "Nope!!! THIS member is openly female AND on the leaderboard, you dumbass!!!!!")
From what I've seen, there are less African-American and non-white hispanic men in tech than there are white and Asian women, yet I never see this discussed. Is this not an important issue as well? Will skewed racial ratios only be handled after gender parity has been achieved? Or do they not matter at all?
The same people who call attention to gender diversity also speak out for racial diversity. This particular piece focuses on gender because of today's being International Women's Day.
Because we get flagged down a lot. This thread managed to survive because we started a big twitter stink to try and get it unflagged, and because we had the international women's day hastags to get attention, it managed to make the front page. But even that was a struggle.
Many of us, myself included, fight on behalf of a lot of underrepresented groups on HN as best we can.
I'm sorry if you haven't seen it, but I assure you some people here are trying.
I see it come up pretty regularly. It usually is then followed by racist pablum of one sort or another--so the resistance to racial issues isn't exactly different from the resistance to gender ones.
Because we have enough difficulties discussing basic issues of gender equity, without trying to deal with intersectional and allied issues. Walk before you run!
In the meantime, I note that you could have chosen, in response to a post on International Women's Day, to show appreciation to black _women_ and latina _women_ in tech, and recognize the issues that they face on all of these fronts. You chose not to do so. Hence it seems to me like your purpose here might be to draw attention away from those women, because you don't think they need your support or solidarity. Was that your intent?
The disparity you're talking about could be because there are more women in tech (just underrepresented in C-level roles or whatever it might be) likely to speak up, whereas black people are underrepresented in tech full stop?
This is just concern trolling.
Obviously all these issues are important to address; simply pointing to another issue does not contribute to solving either of them.
Ah. Christ. Mechanics? I mean the women are like 50% of the population so big target likesay? Some of those women are non-white and a rising tide lifts all boats you know?
Well, the very first claim the article brings up is that women face a pay gap, which is simply not true when you control for other variables. So that's not a good start.
Also, the origin of the quote 'Nevertheless, she persisted' is from a completely non-gendered context, where a woman persisted in breaking the non-gendered rules of the US Congress.
