Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Why do we let sexist creeps pervade the software industry?

plus.google.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–30 of 177 posts

Re: Why do we let sexist creeps pervade the software industry?

#21

Post by mootothemax »

peterwwillis wrote: post #17
paulgb wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because it remains unresolved and is one of the biggest social problems faced by the industry that 90% of HN readers are (or aspire to be) in.

How is this a problem not faced by any other industry in the world? I have never seen evidence that shows that IT industry people are any more sexist than people in any other field. So someone goes to a conference and there was a slide with something inappropriate on it. That means one asshole was immature and unprofessional enough to publicly shoot himself in the foot. It doesn't mean there are aren't plenty of othe…

So someone goes to a conference and there was a slide with something inappropriate on it.

Go to a few conferences that aren't directly IT-related and see how often that happens. In my experience - and I'm prepared to be proven wrong on this - it pretty much well only happens at IT-related conferences.

Re: Why do we let sexist creeps pervade the software industry?

#22

Post by jat850 »

rimantas wrote: post #15
mootothemax wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Their views are usually pretty reasonable You make it sound as if feminists are some kind of weird cult ;) But your basic point is true: just because a woman is a feminist doesn't mean that she thinks all penetrative sex is rape, such as Dworkin believed.

You know, we are near the situation when asking a girl out for a cup of coffee is perceived as an atempt to rape.

We're not at all, really, and that type of hyperbole is extremely unproductive.

Re: Why do we let sexist creeps pervade the software industry?

#23

Post by wccrawford »

silverlake wrote: post #9

I skimmed the comments on Tom's boob pic. Most of the women also thought it was funny. Only a few women were loudly critical. Do we solve sexism only when 100% of women are satisfied? That's going to take a while.

You're getting voted down for not going with the group-think. For some reason, some people think that if even 1 women is offended, then it's sexist. They couldn't be more wrong.

Anyhow, if all humor that made fun of someone or something were banned, there wouldn't be much left. That's the basis of most of it, and they continue to find it funny to make fun of some things, but not others.

Everyone should stop being offended on behalf of people who aren't like them. Seriously. If you're offended because it affects you, I'm all ears. If you're offended because it's rude to do that to someone else, but you have no stake in it... Shut up. You're making the situation WORSE.

Re: Why do we let sexist creeps pervade the software industry?

#25

Post by owenmarshall »

rimantas wrote: post #15
mootothemax wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Their views are usually pretty reasonable You make it sound as if feminists are some kind of weird cult ;) But your basic point is true: just because a woman is a feminist doesn't mean that she thinks all penetrative sex is rape, such as Dworkin believed.

You know, we are near the situation when asking a girl out for a cup of coffee is perceived as an atempt to rape.

"Asking a girl out for a cup of coffee" isn't perceived as an attempt to rape.

Flirting with a woman in an environment where they feel uncomfortable -- say, oh, for example, early in the morning in a confined space -- isn't perceived as an attempt to rape, but it does make the flirter an insensitive jerk at best.

Re: Why do we let sexist creeps pervade the software industry?

#26

Post by Hisoka »

I'm glad someone called Tom out on that image he posted. It's minor in the entire scheme of things, but what irritates me are the casual comments and reactions like "That's ok.. haha, very funny!" It's like there's this cognitive dissonance happening: people believe in equality between sexes, and treating women like regular humans with respect... yet we also make casual comments that treat females as just objects. It's not just engineers of course, it's most men. And I'm being very very strict here. I'm talking about saying things like "Check that ass out." or "Damn, I'll do that" when you're with your buddies.

I may sound like a downer that can't have fun, but when the vast majority of humans on this world end up cheating on their spouses, you have to be somewhat serious about this.

Re: Why do we let sexist creeps pervade the software industry?

#27

Post by mootothemax »

rimantas wrote: post #15
mootothemax wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Their views are usually pretty reasonable You make it sound as if feminists are some kind of weird cult ;) But your basic point is true: just because a woman is a feminist doesn't mean that she thinks all penetrative sex is rape, such as Dworkin believed.

You know, we are near the situation when asking a girl out for a cup of coffee is perceived as an atempt to rape.

You know, we are near the situation when asking a girl out for a cup of coffee is perceived as an atempt to rape.

Honestly, if that is a regular problem for you, I would suggest you work on your interpersonal skills.

Re: Why do we let sexist creeps pervade the software industry?

#28

Post by aspir »

I'm more on the web marketing side, and it's nearly every 1-2 weeks where I see someone write an article or give a presentation likening customer acquisition and conversion to "tricking hawt chicks into hooking up with you." It's absurd. Real men operate with respect, not misogyny.

Re: Why do we let sexist creeps pervade the software industry?

#29

Post by alex_c »

michaelchisari wrote: post #14
alex_c wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Discussion, or circle jerk? I'm not arguing against the problem or trying to find solutions, but I saw nothing new or interesting in the linked post. "Same tired discussion" is right, every discussion on the topic here on HN plays out the exact same way and goes nowhere. It's the religion or politics equivalent of HN discussions.

I'm not arguing against the problem or trying to find solutions But you are arguing against the discussion, no? Instead of using this article (as much as you may feel it lacks substance) as an opportunity to discuss the problem further, and propose solutions or suggestions... Instead, you label it a circle jerk. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't, but you haven't done much to change that.

No, I haven't - because I still see nothing of substance in the article, and past experience gives me little faith that the discussion is going anywhere interesting. I don't see what I - or anyone - can contribute beyond "Sexism is bad, don't do it!". I'd be happy to be proven wrong.

Anyway, I've said my piece, I see no reason to clutter up the thread with more meta discussion from me.

Re: Why do we let sexist creeps pervade the software industry?

#30

Post by diolpah »

rimantas wrote: post #15
mootothemax wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Their views are usually pretty reasonable You make it sound as if feminists are some kind of weird cult ;) But your basic point is true: just because a woman is a feminist doesn't mean that she thinks all penetrative sex is rape, such as Dworkin believed.

You know, we are near the situation when asking a girl out for a cup of coffee is perceived as an atempt to rape.

We are not 'near' that point. The Rebecca Watson incident clearly demonstrates that we are already there.
Post reply on HN