North American Network Operators Group

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Re: [OT] Valley of the Boyz

  • From: Roy
  • Date: Mon Aug 07 11:54:30 2000


I understand your viewpoint but do you have any ideas on how to fix it?  This
differs from sexual discrimination where the company can control employee
behavior.

Sheryl Chapin wrote:

> Ummm, I think you guys are missing the point.  The point is that guys live,
> breath and eat this stuff, but to most women, it's just a job.  I am the
> only female technical person in my (admittedly small) company.  One of the
> guys once described me as "being very good at my job, but it's just a job".
>  I have no problem with that discription, when I go to lunch, I'm not
> interested in talking "tapes, hard drives and wiring", I do that at work.
>
> And yes, I have very little in common with these guys.  Most of them go
> home where there are more computers than people, all networked together and
> play for hours (by play, I don't mean games, I mean they write programs and
> expirement with new technology).  They *love* this stuff.  I go home and
> don't even look at my computer unless I'm beeped.
>
> In a previous job, (again, the only woman) I was invited to stay and play
> networked doom with the guys one Friday night.  I played for an hour, ok,
> it was fun, I'm done now.  They played until 3am.
>
> Personally, I always thought it was just me, but maybe it is a gender
> thing.  Is that bad?  I really don't know.
>
> Sheryl Chapin
> CommTel Internet
>
> At 08:24 AM 8/7/00 -0500, Richard Irving wrote:
> >
> ><rant>
> >
> > So, anybody want to take bets ?
> >
> >   I bet the young lady, in the interview,
> >within her first 2 years, makes a BEE-LINE
> >for management, and starts -insisting-
> >everyone wears a tie, so they look professional.
> >
> > Remember, IBM salesman -rammed- "dark tie,
> >and white shirt" down the industries throat..
> >You weren't -professional- unless you dressed,
> >in this fashion.
> >
> >Corporate America's management bought into this
> >load of malarkey, wholeheartedly. (I suspect their
> >ties were too tight..) So, soon
> > corporate America was looking down their nose at
> >anyone who couldn't play the management conformity game...
> >
> > After all, your not a -professional- with out a dark tie,
> >and light suit.
> >
> >  Meantime, back at IBM HQ, at the Watson Research center,
> >the top IBM techs , such as Benoit, were running around in
> >cut offs, and pony tails.
> >
> >  Seems, to IBM, this rule was only true for -salesmen-, and trivial
> >technicals, and IBM had a pioneer in their company who went
> >-way- out of his way to make sure R&D TECHNICALS were
> >-not- required to conform. According to his research,
> >good technicals rarely enjoy conforming.
> >
> >It is management, and sales, that admire conformity.
> >
> >  Nonetheless, a reality as sold by -salesman=, bought into
> >by -management-, and propogated by -recruiters-, became the norm
> >for technicals... it took us 20 years to throw that
> >perspective out the window... and some big companies
> >-still- by into that load of "stuff".
> >
> >  Meanwhile , IBM kept running that research center, -without-
> >such codes.... pointedly.
> >
> >  Yes, I feel almost -positive- this young lady
> >will seek management. I really do.
> >
> >  Shortly thereafter, she will attempt to correct these
> >errors in the industry, and set us all straight. She will
> >recruit people who cannot stand discussing "tape drives,
> >hardware, and wires", and management will back her wholeheartedly.
> >
> >  I just know it.
> >
> >  :\
> >
> ></rant>
> >
> >[email protected] wrote:
> >>
> >> News flash, lady - IT -is- "tape drives and hardware and wires and
> >> machines".  So, if you have nothing in common with people who are
> interested
> >> in such things, go do something else.
> >>
> >
> >