Austin360 blogs > Digital Savant > Archives > 2011 > June > 24 > Entry
Women in tech (and networking): the struggle continues
Four days ago, I attended the South by Southwest PanelPicker Mixer. It’s been a while since I’ve been to an evening event (I’ve dubbed it The Summer Where I Act Like a Real Dad and Come Home Every Night at a Decent Hour). But I was able to stop in for about an hour and a half and catch up with people I rarely get to see in person otherwise.
Three different women told me separately that they were interested in either organizing or being a part of a “Women in Tech”-style conference in town and complained that there’s not enough of that here. One of them is already in the planning stages for an event like that. (I’ll let you know about it when the details are firmed up).
There simply aren’t enough tech events in town geared toward women, they told me, and historically, panel-style events in town often exclude or underrepresent women entrepreneurs and tech workers as panelists.
Three days later, Carla Thompson at Sharp Skirts points out in a post called “Sausage Fest, Austin Style,” that an event on Tuesday, RISE Fast Pitch being held at the Alamo Drafthouse is yet another example of a high-profile public tech event with an all-male panel. She’s been seeking out comment on Twitter from the organizers since the item was posted.
And last night, Katrina Tolentino posted on her blog an embarrassing, frank list of things men at local networking events have said and done to her recently. Katrina is a fixture on the local social network scene and the blog post, “10 Things You Should Never Say Or Do To A Woman At A Networking Event” is alarming in that it makes you wonder the kinds of things men say and do to women who aren’t as high-profile as Katrina. It’s not hard to image that some women who go to networking events get turned off to the whole scene if that’s the way they’re approached.
It’s also not hard to imagine that boozed-up, grabassy social media douchebags are simply extending the boorish behavior they display on Twitter and Facebook and that the freewheeling social media scene has been lax in calling them out on such behavior.
So how about it? Does Austin’s tech scene have a problem with giving women fair representation on panels and basic respect at mixer? Let us know what you think in the comments.
Edited to add: Michelle Greer, a prior overall winner of the American-Statesman’s Texas Social Media Award, has posted a thoughtful response to Tolentino’s blog post.
Permalink | Comments (9) | Post your comment Categories: Austin, Internet, SXSW 2012
Comments
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By M1EK
June 28, 2011 11:32 AM | Link to this
Lex loves Clark, that's exactly the point I tried to make on twitter - but the "tech scene" people aren't having any of it.
By Lex loves Clark
June 27, 2011 10:31 AM | Link to this
Not that Katrina deserved any of the comments she got, but I see she's made a common error about her own job and the people she talks to. She's in _marketing_ which has nothing to do with IT. She could be doing that job at any company regardless of how "tech heavy" it is. Marketing has nothing to do with technology. Isn't it interesting that in eight years working at technology companies I've never met an unattractive marketing person? Marketing is a job that tends to favor attractive women, so let's not pretend that her looks have nothing to do with her job.
Also please stop blaming "tech guys" and geeks. I'm almost 100% positive her networking events involve sales guys and executive types who barely know how to turn on their computers. These are definitely not geeks. I know it's easier to blame the "socially mal-adjusted" computer guys who don't know how to act around women than actually think about what you do for a living. Katrina is NOT in IT, she's in marketing. You ladies aren't "techie" so stop saying you are.
By Nexxius
June 25, 2011 2:18 PM | Link to this
I believe the good dwarf Cru had much to say on this issue. His words were something to the effect of, "yar, yar, hump, hump!" Short but, meaningful...just like him.
By Ansa
June 25, 2011 12:25 PM | Link to this
I'm new to the Austin Tech Scene, but this sounds pretty true to form in the wider tech community. Personally I would LOVE to have more opportunities to meetup with other techy ladies where I feel like I might actually get to network...I wanna talk shop, not get dates.
By John Gillnitz
June 24, 2011 8:23 PM | Link to this
Ms. Tolentino's post was gross, but certainly believable. Get a bunch of young geeky dudes together and they revert to Jr. High. Add booze and it gets much worse, and some old geeky dudes (cough) revert to Jr. High. They (we) should do better, but probably won't.
Now excuse me, but I think there is a C++ Meetup at Dave & Busters.
By Earl
June 24, 2011 4:27 PM | Link to this
"There simply aren�t enough tech events in town geared toward women"
how hard is it to look up tech meeetings on Meetup.com? if those meetings are there, then there is obviously an interest if each womens group would just talk to each other.
I can't comment on any tech events for the last 5 years since I haven't been able to goto any of them so I don't know what the panels are composed of. When I went to CISSP meetings, the female presenters there were listened to just as intently as any of the male presenters.
I looked the other night for tech meetings and was surprised to see how many of them were strictly for women.
By Chelsea
June 24, 2011 3:24 PM | Link to this
Thanks for this post, Omar! I encountered this many times at networking events in Austin, and most of the other women and I eventually would watch each other's backs for certain characters who would always prove too lecherous. The "lower back touch" Katrina mentioned in her post is really common. It's hard because you don't want to be seen as "that girl" complaining all the time, but events where there is a lot more alcohol prove to always be a little shudder-inducing.
By Adrienne
June 24, 2011 2:46 PM | Link to this
Thank you, Omar, for posting this article. I too have had inappropriate communication from clients met during networking events. As an example, one began emailing me from his personal email account and asking for pictures. When working in the boy's club, it is indeed hard to break through the mentality. But the more women that expect and demand equality, the easier it will get. So thank you to all the women who continue to work at it!
By Lucy
June 24, 2011 12:21 PM | Link to this
My co-worker and I (one of approximately seven women at an 80+ employee company) used to IM each other when our CEO or head of development would stare at our chests in (weekly) meetings. So pitiful.
Cutting edge tech + boy's club is a bitter pill to swallow. And the successful women are often considered to be "B$#%es."
The battle for equality continues.