[UbuntuWomen] Hello World

[rihanha]

Just yesterday, I read (and responded to) a student
blog<http://blogs.uwb.edu/rpascua/>posted by a newer, female student
in our 'computing and software systems'
degree program. It mirrored my own frustrations with being locked out of the
social circle despite having shared interests.

It is wearisome to be ridiculed for not having all the right answers while
the men in the program who make similar mistakes are at worst, ribbed a bit,
but overall still treated with dignity, and in the meantime are benefiting
(learning more at a faster rate) from this camaraderie, thus widening that
gap.

I do well in the program, but I have to work VERY hard to do so, and this is
on top of the expectations that I continue to do the domestic work as well –
dishes, laundry, clean up, and kid duties, and of course still make time for
the man in my life, and pretty much 86 my own needs in the process.  I truly
believe the deck is stacked against us in ways that only other women can
appreciate.

 All that being said; I love what I am learning and I have no intentions of
giving up. I find ways to make it work, and I do my best to find other women
to commiserate with when needed, and to share my successes with (such as
they are, hopefully there will be more) when appropriate.

I read this blog and saw MY first chance to be the person offering support!
So I sent her a copy of an
article<http://www.faqs.org/docs/Linux-HOWTO/Encourage-Women-Linux-HOWTO.html>I
read on UW site that offered the first explanation and MUCH needed
validation for what I was feeling myself (a world of thank you for posting
that!). Then I told her that although I still feel like an outsider, I have
learned some things that help. Primarily, to share with other women – they
ARE out there! – and to learn to spot the gems among the duds among the
multitudes of men – they too are out there!

I would add the need to use your own opinions to judge your competency –
don't let the jerks run you off. I still REALLY struggle with this one, but
I'm hanging in there.

rihanha


p.s. If you'll pardon my own dip into sexism, I have recently joked with
friends about the PERK of being surrounded by men all day. If only I could
train some of them not to speak.




On 10/25/07, Sarah Hobbs <hobbsee at kubuntu.org> wrote:
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> Raphael Corsoski wrote:
> > As such, seeing that Ubuntu has a measly 2% or so of female developers,
> I'm
> > keen on keeping an eye on how that develops and keeping an eye open for
> > opportunities to help.  I'm usually very sceptical of affirmative
> action,
> > but it's rather clear that direct and resolute action is needed to level
> the
> > playing-field.  From my perspective, surely there must be some
> structural
> > deficit that keep women from getting involved?
>
> Being one of the 2%, I think it would be very interesting to find out
> why women *don't* become developers - whether it's because they have not
> aspired to be, or whether challenges got in their way, to the point
> where they gave up.
>
> Hobbsee
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> --
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>
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