[UbuntuWomen] thread on "obstacles for women in IT"

[Dabian]

sun, 20080210 kl. 08:53 -0500, wrote Danyelle Gragsone:
> His salesman pitch probably seemed very sly and woman don't like
> random slyness unless they expect to be approached.  It's very closed
> minded but ya.. woman get approached with silly sly lines all the
> time.

Thats a good point.   We dont actually know how his approach has been,
and furthermore, we dont know how the women actually reacted.  

When I read his approach, I couldn't help noting the phrase:
“I notice you cap is a bit dirty. Would you like to have a new one?”

I am not native English, but it seems to me that sentence might disturb
women more than men.

I couldn't help wondering if maybe this individual maybe had a problem
contacting women, esp. professionally.  One reason could be that his
approach didn't appeal to women, for one reason or another, in which
case the error was on his side.  Another reason could be that he simply
didn't feel good about contacting women, and assumed they thought he was
trying to chat them up, in which case the error also was on his side.

> I think it's silly that they thought he was getting chatty but..
> them's the breaks.

We dont know if they actually did, lemme cite the blog:

"7:38 a.m. – Young professional woman waiting at the gate. Due to
professional dress and demeanor, appeared to work for a consulting
company. After approaching, she accepts TrackPoint caps, but looks
visibly distraught. I’m pretty sure she thought I was trying to hit on
her."

"4:33 p.m. – Have decided to stop attempting to be a TrackPoint
ambassador to any female. They all give me a look like I’m a stalker."

This is what the article builds on, as far as I can see.  Very thin
basis for an article this size, IMHO.  His thoughts are interesting, but
I find it hard to rule out that he simply has a bias, and uses this blog
to get his message through.

Somehow it seems to me that his perception of the meeting with the woman
is different.  He studies her clothes more, to find out what line of
work she is in.  Perhaps because he is not used to women being his
customers. I wouldn't be surprised if his approach was a little insecure
in dealing with the woman, which again could lead to his assuming that
she was "distraught".  I am guessing here, but as I see it, the error
doesn't have to be on the customer side.  After all, she does accept the
caps.

In the beginning of the blog he talks about the people he met:

"Some were talkative and others just took the caps and indicated that
was as much as they wanted to say."

Why was the woman special, why was she perceived as "distraught"?
Couldn't she just be one of the less talkative?  Was he extra
disappointed, when a woman didn't engage in a more talkative
conversation with him?  Some men have a hard time getting over
themselves, I am not saying this salesman is one of them, on the other
hand, he could be.

> Another part of me wants to say.. these chicks need to get over
> themselves and realize that every man is not out to get them.

I guess some are like that.  Both men and women.  I very much doubt that
every single woman he met during this campaign assumes that every man is
out to get her.  

Om various situations, I have approached women (and men) on the street,
to tell them about a cause that I was promoting, or give them a flyer. I
had positive response from a lot, both from men as well as from women.

Just thought I'd plop my ¢5 into this.

Dabian .