Category: Culture

Categories
Connecting

If only we could see each other’s eyes

During my recent walks in my favorite enchanted forest, I’ve noticed that every day there are fewer lightning bugs, and more well-fed robins. As quickly as nature creates magic, it erases it. Ah, but I’ve fooled that old, contrary lady because her work continues to live in my memory and in my writing.

Well, I should say it lives on in my memory until she gets the last laugh when I’m old and feeble and can’t remember my own name or that robe sleeves aren’t edible, much less one magical moment. Perhaps that’s why the urge to write is so strong in many of us –an act of defiance against the end of both magic and mind.

Categories
Diversity

No room at the top

I have been remiss in the past in all my criticisms of Six Apart’s business practices and Movable Type coding gotchas. One thing I did not comment on favorably was the fact that Mena Trott was CEO of the company. In our environment where it’s rare to hear a woman’s name in a list of speakers, or see a woman’s face among a photograph of leaders in any field, Mena stood out as an example to all women that this environment is not completely and totally controlled by men.

Well, that was, until today when Mena wrote a very gracious note about a gentleman by the name of Barak Berkowitz who has taken over as CEO of Six Apart. I’m not sure of what Mena’s position is at this point; I believe she may be continuing on as President.

Six Apart is no longer Ben and Mena Trott, not with all the VC involvement and international growth. It is a very successful company now, and nothing wrong with success in weblogging. I guess an added benefit is that whatever criticism any of us now have of the company or products, I don’t think people will say we’re kicking the baby squirrels because of it.

But it was difficult reading about Mena stepping down as CEO because I have to wonder how much of our criticism of the recent license fees had to do with it. I work hard to see that women are promoted in weblogging, only to be critical of a company headed by one of the few women who has managed to find a position among all those cookie cutter men. Yet, paradoxically, I don’t believe that criticism should be held back just because the recipient is one of the few women that has actually made a difference.

In all my discussions about women in weblogging and technology, I’ve not asked that women get preferential treatment, or to be judged other than on our own merits. If anything I’ve asked that women get the equivalent acknowledgement and recognition, and yes, even criticism, that men get. Still, I wonder–by being critical of these rare women, do we make it easier to get pulled from, or should I say pushed from, positions that are hard for us to get to in the first place?

I hope this is a good move for Mena Trott. I wish her success in whatever role she has in the company. I am happy for her, but sad for us: there’s now one less woman at the top.

Categories
Diversity Political Weblogging

Women blogging the Convention?

Recovered from the Wayback Machine.

Since I’m on a roll about women’s apparent invisibility in weblogging circles, well except when we’re naked or shoving our titties in front of the faces of the boys, I am curious: which women bloggers have been credentialed by the Democratic party to cover the Convention?

We’ve already heard that a person infamous for indiscriminate and malicious comments about women has been given access. I’d like to think there might be a woman or two among the fifty or so men who will be going, so that the Convention goers don’t think weblogging is a boys only club.

Not that we think it is.

Of course not.

We all be equal here, we be.

update

At least it’s nice to know that we women don’t suffer blogger burnout like the guys.

Categories
Diversity Technology

Yes, where are the women

Eric Meyer had a recent request for CSS gurus for a potential book. I was getting down to the end of the list, thinking to myself, where are the women when I came across Molly Holzschlag asking the same question.

I don’t understand why women in CSS are so overlooked, and when the two of us that have been mentioned – at least in this case – it’s either far less than the guys or, in Holly’s case, always as a duo with Big John, and not on the merit of her own individuality. I want to understand this. Maybe you can help me.

Since this same question has been asked about Linux, PHP, MySQL, RSS, XML, Java, and about every other technology that puts in an appearance in weblogging, I wouldn’t mind hearing the answer to this one myself. I’ve been asking it for three years now – and I’m still waiting. Maybe if Molly asks the question, someone will come up with a good answer.

Now excuse me while I go back to spending a great deal of time documenting code that would most likely be given more respect, or notice, if it came from a guy. But what can you do?

Categories
Connecting Weblogging

Eight million stories in the naked city

Recovered from the Wayback Machine.

I’m moving on from current discussions, but to what I’m not sure. I don’t regret yesterday’s anger, but I do regret the circumstances behind it because though the anger is gone, the circumstances remain.

So many stories in the naked city. “There are eight million stories in the naked city.” Does anyone remember that? Anyway, this small story in this new naked city is only of interest to a few, and I’m not sure I’m one of them.

Yesterday’s angry outburst sounded too close to another similar outburst that went something like, “If you’re my friend, you’ll support me. Publicly.” While I welcome support from friends, public or private, when I’m down or even when I’m not, much of yesterday’s anger, and yes hurt, was directed at myself as much as anyone else. It’s difficult to come to terms with a realization that people have stopped listening to me because I shout too much.

It’s also difficult to accept the fact that there are some circles where I won’t be heard, even if I whisper: because of my sex, because of my past, because of who I do or do not work for, my age, whether I own the perfect little black dress, or any number of factors I may or may not have control over.

Bother it, their loss.

It’s summer here in this hemisphere and Winter elsewhere and we all have better things to talk about, including the first commercial aircraft into space. I used to want to visit Australia, but to hell with that – I want the moon, now.