What is a woman in tech?

A person that does their best work in the tech field... and also happens to be a woman

Since I’ve started advocating more for women in tech, I’ve noticed animosity from some people. At times, I am hearing comments that pin me as a man-hater or as someone that thinks that I should get special treatment because I am a woman.

Some of these comments include “Oh please. Don’t tell me you’re jumping on THAT bandwagon." Or “Give me a break Lis. Being a woman in tech is no different than being a man... we are all equal."

These perspectives and comments have got me thinking. Specifically, I can’t help but wonder to myself what does being a woman in tech and being an advocate for women in tech mean? I, for one, am not the type of person to feel sorry for women in the tech industry. Nor am I one to think that special treatment is warranted for being a woman. To be quite honest, I haven’t met many women that feel this way at all. 

Thus, I wanted to start to begin to define this better. Not for others, but for us as a community to use when or if people approach our cause in a negative fashion. 

So here is what I DO NOT think being a woman in tech is.

1. Someone who overly complains about not being treated fairly in their career because they are a woman.
2. Someone who believes that they are owed special treatment in their job because they are a woman.
3. Someone who thinks they should advance in their career because of their sex.
4. Someone who hates males in their field.
5. Someone who thinks that males should receive less of what they are receiving because of their sex.
6. Someone who is looking to make two sides in this argument... a male side and a female side.

On the flip side, I believe a woman in tech IS:

1. A person that does their best work in the tech field... and also happens to be a woman.
2. Someone who anticipates fair and equal treatment.
3. Someone who is willing to help build a community of support so that more smart and talented woman will no longer be intimidated to enter the field.
4. A person that believes that we can and should all be treated equal as professionals.
5. Someone who is both talented and brave enough to stand up and advocate for their fellow female professionals in order to promote a sense of pride.

I’m sure there are more, and I would love to hear more from you! Given these, I do not think that the comments I have been receiving are fair. If someone were to read these points, there is no basis for an alternative argument.

We should be allowed to be proud to be who we are, and to provide a community for like minded women. By doing this we are only doing better for tech overall by bringing even more talent into an ever growing field. 

(Image source: itknowledgeexchange.com)