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Ask HN: Why were there so few women at Startup School?

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Ask HN: Why were there so few women at Startup School?

#1

Post by jlees »

I was one of the female attendees at Startup School and I was floored by the gender ratio - being in tech, I'm used to being a minority, but this was possibly the most extreme balance I've seen.

I'm genuinely interested in whether people have theories about why this might be, and whether any women considered attending but decided not to? Or is this simply a real life manifestation of the HN community?

Re: Ask HN: Why were there so few women at Startup School?

#4

Post by rachelbythebay »

I saw it too, and I wish I had an answer. It definitely prompts feelings of "what am I even doing here?" that merely participating on the site does not.

The whole ethnicity balance was pretty far out there, too. Considering it was held in Silly Valley, I would have expected to see far more of a mix, but that didn't seem to happen, either.

I wonder, are both observations the same effect in action or something else entirely?

Re: Ask HN: Why were there so few women at Startup School?

#5

Post by hobonumber1 »

rachelbythebay wrote: post #4

I saw it too, and I wish I had an answer. It definitely prompts feelings of "what am I even doing here?" that merely participating on the site does not. The whole ethnicity balance was pretty far out there, too. Considering it was held in Silly Valley, I would have expected to see far more of a mix, but that didn't seem to happen, either. I wonder, are both observations the same effect in action or something else ent…

What was the ethnicity balance like, if you don't mind me asking?

Re: Ask HN: Why were there so few women at Startup School?

#6

Post by truebecomefalse »

hobonumber1 wrote: post #5
rachelbythebay wrote: post #4

I saw it too, and I wish I had an answer. It definitely prompts feelings of "what am I even doing here?" that merely participating on the site does not. The whole ethnicity balance was pretty far out there, too. Considering it was held in Silly Valley, I would have expected to see far more of a mix, but that didn't seem to happen, either. I wonder, are both observations the same effect in action or something else ent…

What was the ethnicity balance like, if you don't mind me asking?

White men.

Re: Ask HN: Why were there so few women at Startup School?

#7

Post by cpt1138 »

I was not there but as an older male, who doesn't drink, I am constantly reminded of how young and alcohol obsessed "entrepreneurs" seem to be. David Rusenko (Weebly) was still in college when he and his buds started. So to me it seems like college boys dominate. And the kinds of technically oriented women that would be interested in Startup School aren't as interested in hanging around with a bunch of drunk college kids where there are not that many women.

Id be curious if the gap was smaller watching the webcasts?

Re: Ask HN: Why were there so few women at Startup School?

#10

Post by xiaoma »

hobonumber1 wrote: post #5
rachelbythebay wrote: post #4

I saw it too, and I wish I had an answer. It definitely prompts feelings of "what am I even doing here?" that merely participating on the site does not. The whole ethnicity balance was pretty far out there, too. Considering it was held in Silly Valley, I would have expected to see far more of a mix, but that didn't seem to happen, either. I wonder, are both observations the same effect in action or something else ent…

What was the ethnicity balance like, if you don't mind me asking?

Asians were way, way over-represented. That's common in this sort of event.

http://startupschool.org/zuck-sus2010.jpg

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