Blogger Kathy Sierra of the Creating Compassionate Users blog received disturbing and graphic death threats. The prevailing assumption is that they are due to her gender, not so much about what she says or lectures on. Pure misogyny it seems.
As a female who has worked in the high tech field, I can attest that it was a "boy's club" at times. I have a very thick skin. I grew up a tomboy and can hold my own. But really, should I have to? I know that this is not a perfect world but shouldn't I be judged on my abilities and not if I'm wearing a skirt? No one should ever be touched at work but I've been grabbed, pinched, leered at, and propositioned by coworkers. One even put his hand on my knee and called me "sweetie" in a training I was leading. My grandmother is the only one who ever got to call me sweetie.
Moving to the quiet world of biotech has been a relief and I haven't been touched once. But if I go out and flirt at a bar, I'm a slut. If I assert myself or rebuff unwanted attention, I'm a bitch.
It's 2007 and it saddens me that we are still having these incidents and conversations. With all hell breaking loose in the rest of the world, could we stop viewing women who are working in "non-traditional" industries as a threat?
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