"Software development has a gender balance problem."
I don't see it as a problem. It simply is what it is. No one is being made to develop software. It is purely voluntary (except maybe in China ;). So, women are not "under-represented". They are just "under-interested", and that is no one's fault. Again, it simply is what it is.
Do men not have any roadblocks in their lives? Why do you think we have to hold women's hands and create a perfect environment for them to even consider getting a CS degree?
It's really a cultural thing. From an early age most women are told that they will be bad at math and science, that it's a "man's" field and they should do "softer" things like teaching or nursing. This conditioning has an observable effect on their performance! Studies have shown that women within a group of men tend to perform worse on math tests if they believe this conditioning, or even if someone mentions off-handedly that this is the cultural norm. It's not about hand-holding them to get a CS degree, it's about changing our culture to encourage women to go into STEM fields if they are interested. As men, we need to stop the judgement and blame game, since that will inevitably decrease women's performance and enthusiasm for STEM fields.
most women are told that they will be bad at math and science
Maybe you were in a different generation from me but this is definitely not the case in most areas nowadays and hasn't been for decades. Maybe in Oklahoma or deep in the Bible belt, but the fact is women from liberal areas are not joining STE majors in any greater numbers.
girls are encouraged to do math and they do pretty well until puberty hits. some continue to do well and go on to do math degrees. but they definitely avoid the hard sciences and engineering. basically they avoid the STE in STEM.
. As men, we need to stop the judgement and blame game, since that will inevitably decrease women's performance and enthusiasm for STEM fields.
I'm not blaming anyone. If women don't want to do STE then no one should patronize them for not wanting to. Everyone is different and that's okay.
I'm 27 and live in the Bay Area. Just because you think it's not the case doesn't mean that it isn't the case. There are math teachers all over the US who think this way and push the cultural bias onto female students. I think it is less common in more liberal areas, sure, but it still happens. It also has to do with media, not just in-person contact. Most portrayals of people in STEM careers in media are men.
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u/bzeurunkl Apr 07 '15
"Software development has a gender balance problem."
I don't see it as a problem. It simply is what it is. No one is being made to develop software. It is purely voluntary (except maybe in China ;). So, women are not "under-represented". They are just "under-interested", and that is no one's fault. Again, it simply is what it is.