March 29, 2014 at 11:25 am
Comments posted to this topic are about the item X in Technology
March 29, 2014 at 11:53 am
I haven't been to many of the WIT sessions but the few I have been at and from what I have read, these groups are NOT made up of just women but include men who are concerned that women are not encouraged to explore technology careers, not just computer technology, but any of the STEM careers. We as a group are missing out on a different and unique perspective on how problems can be approached and solved. Honestly, men and women do think about things differently.
I am hoping that I may be able to get more involved with WIT in Colorado Springs when I return from Afghanistan. We need to encourage more women (and other minorities) to explore STEM education and careers. The opportunities are there for them.
March 31, 2014 at 2:43 am
I think that these groups are great as long as their long term task is to make their own existence redundant (even if we believe that this may never happen). Why do I say this? Simply because they exist because they need to. Those that have agreed with my sentiment do not want to be separated from the majorities themselves but feel that the have been excluded by the majority (or by a small group that exist within the majority). That is a shame and it must be the long term goal for these groups to invalidate themselves.
The pragmatist in me says that they will be around for some time to come. The idealists wants them gone today. Unfortunately, the pragmatists wins
Gaz
-- Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen...they're everywhere!!!
March 31, 2014 at 6:43 am
Separate minority groups by definition tend to separate further instead of aiding acceptance. Especially in technology, get in there and prove your competency instead of emphasizing differences. I worked for one ethnic minority supervisor in my career, and remember him not as a minority but as incompetent. He didn't last long and probably hurt the stereotype of his ethnicity in the long run. Socialy and professionally, there are always going to stereotypes, so the best one can do is to prove you don't match yours.
Rick
Disaster Recovery = Backup ( Backup ( Your Backup ) )
March 31, 2014 at 6:51 am
I am in full support of WIT and other minority organizations. They provide growth, networking and knowledge transfer opportunities beyond what you could imagine. I hope to find one in the South Florida area. Please let me know if anyone is aware of one. tamecka.mckay@gmail.com.
March 31, 2014 at 7:02 am
skeleton567
I worked for one ethnic minority supervisor in my career, and remember him not as a minority but as incompetent.
That reinforces my stereotypes of supervisors more than of minorities.
Socialy and professionally, there are always going to stereotypes, so the best one can do is to prove you don't match yours.
I don't think these groups are really about combating stereotypes. They are usually about trying to figure out why a particular group is underrepresented in a particular field, as well as providing a support structure for challenges the few who are in the field face. I imagine stereotypes are only a very small subset of those challenges.
For women in particular, I would imagine that the surrounding men who match their stereotypes would present a bigger problem than a woman trying not to match hers.
March 31, 2014 at 8:01 am
Great editorial.
When something doesn't affect you directly, it's easy to miss or minimize it. My advice to anyone who thinks these groups are divisive is: join them.
Leonard
Madison, WI
March 31, 2014 at 8:20 am
Discrimination is wrong no matter who is doing the discriminating.
I am not against a WIT group, especially given how many are saying it has both male and female attendance. As many have said, there are benefits to both men and women when we involve both groups in problem solving.
I am not against any other group that strives to provide education, mentoring or similar opportunities, especially if they are open to everyone.
Any business oriented group that limits their membership to a certain ethnic, sex, religion or other group is by definition discriminatory. If someone wanted to start a Whites in Technology group they would be attacked from all angles. Why does anyone think it is OK to discriminate against whites, men, Christians, et cetera?
There is never an acceptable time to discriminate.
Each "group" of people, men and women, different races, different age groups, when brought together they are stronger than each individual group can be. Our differences are our strengths when used correctly. Dividing us into separate groups and denying involvement from those outside of that group weakens all of us.
Let's stop attacking each other and start working together to make everyone feel welcome.
Dave
March 31, 2014 at 8:22 am
If one of my daughters expressed a desire to pursue a career in technology, I would encourage her with no reservations. Women In Technology meetings sound good as a once a yearly thing, just to focus and talk shop about issues confonting women in technology specifically. However, women could promote their networking efforts and individual careers more effectively by attending the broader monthly user group meetings. Don't overlook that.
"Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Instead, seek what they sought." - Matsuo Basho
March 31, 2014 at 8:37 am
Eric M Russell (3/31/2014)
If one of my daughters expressed a desire to pursue a career in technology, I would encourage her with no reservations.
I would do the same. If she wanted to be a stay at home mom, I'd support her in that as well. If she wanted to be a street sweeper on the other hand, I'd try to encourage her to do something different. The same applies to my sons (just swap stay at home mom for stay at home dad).
Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
_______________________________________________
I have given a name to my pain...MCM SQL Server, MVP
SQL RNNR
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March 31, 2014 at 8:45 am
SQLRNNR (3/31/2014)
Eric M Russell (3/31/2014)
If one of my daughters expressed a desire to pursue a career in technology, I would encourage her with no reservations.I would do the same. If she wanted to be a stay at home mom, I'd support her in that as well. If she wanted to be a street sweeper on the other hand, I'd try to encourage her to do something different. The same applies to my sons (just swap stay at home mom for stay at home dad).
Same here, but either the mom or dad would have to choose an income generating career for me to be entirely supportive.
"Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Instead, seek what they sought." - Matsuo Basho
March 31, 2014 at 8:48 am
Eric M Russell (3/31/2014)
SQLRNNR (3/31/2014)
Eric M Russell (3/31/2014)
If one of my daughters expressed a desire to pursue a career in technology, I would encourage her with no reservations.I would do the same. If she wanted to be a stay at home mom, I'd support her in that as well. If she wanted to be a street sweeper on the other hand, I'd try to encourage her to do something different. The same applies to my sons (just swap stay at home mom for stay at home dad).
Same here, but either the mom or dad would have to choose an income generating career for me to be entirely supportive.
Absolutely. Somebody has got to earn the money. 😀
Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
_______________________________________________
I have given a name to my pain...MCM SQL Server, MVP
SQL RNNR
Posting Performance Based Questions - Gail Shaw[/url]
Learn Extended Events
March 31, 2014 at 8:52 am
WIT is a good group. From what I can see it encourages men and women to support 1) Women in their IT careers and 2) helps men learn from/about the strengths of their female peers.
As long as that is the purpose of the group then it's a good thing. The problems arise when people from a 'minority' group use it as a means of segregating themselves from the majority groups surrounding them.
'minority' group is a strange concept which can cause confusion/misunderstandings in itself. I read recently that white British males qualified to be considered an ethnic minority in London! This is because London has become an international hub of diversity in business and should be considered a good thing. You could say that a white men in technology minority group would be appropriate in that location and if well supported by other ethnic/religious/etc groups could be very valuable. However it would easily appear quite ridiculous and even offensive to others not familiar with the demographics of the city.
As long as these groups remain 'inclusive diversity groups' for the purpose of mutual instruction and benefit and can avoid becoming 'exclusive clubs' then I think they're a good idea.
just my 2p 🙂
Ben
^ Thats me!
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March 31, 2014 at 9:02 am
Pardon me, but it appears that we have fallen into exactly the situation here that I described. We're all talking about men/women, majority/minority, etc instead of what should be the key goal of professional organizations, that of improving competency and sharing insights. And this further illustrates my original thought that splintering into subgroups based on some irrelevant classification tends to muddy the water relative to the main focus of IT professionals, that being, again, competency in the profession.
Rick
Disaster Recovery = Backup ( Backup ( Your Backup ) )
March 31, 2014 at 9:05 am
djackson 22568 (3/31/2014)
Discrimination is wrong no matter who is doing the discriminating.
+10
Any business oriented group that limits their membership to a certain ethnic, sex, religion or other group is by definition discriminatory. If someone wanted to start a Whites in Technology group they would be attacked from all angles. Why does anyone think it is OK to discriminate against whites, men, Christians, et cetera?
+10
There is never an acceptable time to discriminate.
+10
Each "group" of people, men and women, different races, different age groups, when brought together they are stronger than each individual group can be. Our differences are our strengths when used correctly. Dividing us into separate groups and denying involvement from those outside of that group weakens all of us.
Let's stop attacking each other and start working together to make everyone feel welcome.
+10
In other news today a High School in Georgia has eliminated having 2 separate proms to eliminate the discriminatory practice of segregation.
It seems like a giant step backwards if IT or any other industry makes moves to promote segregation.
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