Fitting into the man-mold
The necessity for women to fit into the mold of "occupational masculinity" (Demaiter & Adams, p.37) is so long-established that people barely question it any more. To be successful, one has to be independent, aggressive, and competitive - even to the point of neglecting other personal [and arguably more important] concerns. For women, the sacrifice is bound to be different and often larger than that of men, what with the "baby factor" and their perceived instinctual ability to take care of themselves better.
One thing I find encouraging in the Demaiter & Adams article is how a lot of the client-oriented positions in IT do not depend on notions of masculinity, but instead benefit from the social strengths of women (in contrast with the stereotypical anti-social geeky male). The authors describe it as "an avenue for advancement and promotion" (p. 47), and I can only hope they're right.
Their conclusion of "educating...the present workforce of women...about the existing cultural and structural inequalities" so that they could effect change in IT is certainly hopeful and ideal, but I'm not sure how practical it is. Predominantly the women they interviewed were able to succeed because they didn't view gender as a problem, or because they were willing and able to adapt to the "masculine" work culture. Additionally the authors stated that women who were aware of the inequalities often "have tense relationships" and experience "stress, strain, and hostility". Wouldn't reinforcing the idea that "there is a problem" in itself pose a problem for the women in this field?
- Gen
