- How much are we doing? Are we doing enough?
- What could we improve?
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A colleague recently blogposted about this topic, a lot of critiques in comments and so on.
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Hélder added a post-it in the “feedback wall”, saying: “necesitamos más mujeres”. Everyone is welcome to contribute with possible actions which could help in that direction. “Please, contribute!”
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Inclusive example @ SoCraTes Canaries (embracing multi-gender reality, thanks of the reality of one of the attendees).
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Inclusive language @ Software Crafters Madrid, e.g.: using “chicas” (girls) instead of “mujeres” (women) systematically to refer to women.
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In reaction to these kind of discussions/initiatives, a new “movement” has born in kind of the opposite direction (anti-feminism?). They are known as “Red pill”.
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A lot of men don't interact often with women.
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Some hurting comments heard as a woman:
- “You're good as a woman.”
- “You're so sexy with that glasses...”
Notice that not only is hearing those comments, also the reactions (these kind of behavior is, unfortunately, still socially accepted) from most folks observing them.
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Software Crafters Madrid, trying to improve in this regard, organized a Kata, sponsored by Adalab and mostly directed to women, but none of them showed up.
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In my company there's a “Comité de igualdad”, from a department so-called “people” (not HR). They do a lot of things to avoid discrimination against woman. As example, a colleague used inappropiate language with me, and he ended up being fined.
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“Let's hire this girl because she's so hot.”
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Diversity workshop @ Codemotion
- Stand up whoever has experienced... (almost everyone)
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Meetings where a male colleague repeats what the speaker is saying to a female colleague.
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Automatically “assign” certain tasks to woman (e.g.: the person who collects the money for a present)
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As a woman looking for investment, from investor: “hey, you better look for a guy...”.
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Received message(s) @ LinkedIn, along the lines of: “hey, are you single or married?”
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People (audience) staring at me in a weird way when I present tech topics (like they are surprised).
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(Supposedly diverse-friendly) Event in Poland where they didn't allow a mother to access with her kid.
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A participant of a diversity workshop: “I'm embarrassed to say that I'm studying software”
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(Even) My (female) friends at the University: “you're weird” (because of studying software)
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Teacher at the uni: “don't put too much effort, you'll end up anyways at home taking care of your children.”
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You must be like a man to work with us. I know you have menstruation every month and it causes you changes of humour. You must be a balanced person in order to work with us.
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You discover solutions very quickly, before your colleagues and all of them are men. You must keep quiet if you don't want to have problems with them.
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"It's the same I thought", continuously.
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"I'm going to teach you how to ..." without asking before if I know about it.
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I don't trust you, because you don't have a Facebook account. I cannot see public photos about you.
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I went to JBCNConf18 and I won one prize of Zara who was sponsor. The prize consisted of three man T-shirts (size L) and a man perfume. They didn't expect women in this event.
- Woman in tech vs woman in communities.
- A lot of men don't know the problems they suffer.
- Companies could/should/must do way more, it's the first place where this mindset and initiatives could/should/must be implemented.
- “I'd like to reach a point where positive discrimination isn't needed.”
- We need a lot of patience! We've been doing certain things for years (e.g. non-inclusive “craftsmanship”). Don't let “not successful” experiences bring you down, keep doing a lot of different things (Laura).
- Consider anonimyzing applications (resumes, cover letters) to avoid bias.
- From women to men, tips:
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Speak up, a lot!
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Raise your voice against unequalities.
Unfortunately, men are heard way more than women. Please talk about this, we encourage you!
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Talk about emotions. At the end, all this creates an extremely negative energy which is difficult to cope with.
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You men could do a lot by just treating/speaking right/normal to the women in your life (friends, family, etc.).
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- Men, when corrected (in terms of inclusive language, behavior, etc.) should listen, learn and change.
- A simple (encouraging/correcting) sentence helps a lot. Say it, even if you think that the other person already knows it, whatsoever.
For women:
- Don't give up
- Join women communities like Women Techmakers, Women Who Code, ...
- Surround yourself with positive, supportive men.
For men:
- Stop & think. If women organize events with all women speakers or there are a lot of women in tech communities, they signal a problem.
- Next event you attend, please look for a woman in your company and go with her.
- Adalab @ Barcelona
- It's not about “wasn't my intention”, at all.