You can go listen to the news hour on BBC World's website if you like, but it may not be worth it.

Today I discovered just how much they will edit your point to serve feminisms purpose.

I wish I could say I had a recording of the original interview, however through skype and sound recorder I managed to screw up the actual "what you hear" recording.

Here's a copy of my notes from the interview that I prepared/edited/used during the interview.


Let's accept the premise that there is a level of crudeness in the tech industry, why would only women have the right to be offended? Would men not also find crude material offensive and find equal struggle? I grew up in a christian home, I am just as offended as any woman would be at crude jokes. If feminists believe in equality, I have the same right to be offended that they do. Why aren't we seeing an equal number of men avoiding the tech industry?


First of all, it's important to make a distinction. Not everything that offends women is misogynistic. It's an over-used term and misses the point entirely. So let's just get this out of the way. A lot of people in the tech industry love women. A lot are married. A lot are dating. There's no reason to believe there's a systematic hatred of women in tech.

**

Well let's ask the real questions,

  1. Do women feel unwelcome in the tech fields?
  2. Are men purposefully causing women to feel unwelcome?

I think I'd like to address the second question first.

Let's say a woman decides to work in a coal mine. The first day she arrives she finds men in dirty clothes with dirty faces going down into the pits and

doing hard strenuous labor. She may not prefer to get dirty- she might find that she can't wear her shoes of choice. She might hear men making jokes she

finds offensive. She might find herself physically incapable of even completing the work.

But this isn't uniquely a female problem is it? I grew up in a christian home, I can find offcolor jokes offensive. If I'm weak, I may find myself unable to

perform the duties required. If I don't like getting dirty, I'm out of luck.

So do I feel welcome? Well maybe I don't. But does that mean they're discriminating against me? Does that mean they should change how they work?

There's this myth going around that nobody should feel uncomfortable at work. I disagree. First day on the job, you should be nervous. Worried about deadlines or not being able to accomplish the task? That should make you very uncomfortable.

Obviously a good employer should ensure that employees are not mistreating other employees, and sexual harrassment is one such mistreatment. But when you have people complaining that it doesn't "feel" welcoming- well that's subjective and changing that is an unattainable goal with moving goalposts.

I think one issue is that women over-estimate how comfortable men typically feel in new environments.

Whether it's a new job, the army, or gym class in grade school, for men it can be extremely uncomfortable until they are able to prove themselves to the group and make themselves a place. It can be daunting, and down right difficult. Often times I feel discouraged in my endeavors, like I should quit.. but I push on anyway- despite not necessarily feeling welcome.

And I think therein lies the problem. Women are offended because when they break into a primarily male group, they assume they're being treated harshly because they're women. But in reality they're being treated the same way these men would treat other men. Is that discrimination? I think that's the opposite! If they want equality, they have to want what it feels like.

That's how you become successful. It's not a boys club.


Thanks all for your support. It marches forward.