Posts Tagged ‘feminism’

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Geek Girl Con: Women Running Geeky Businesses


11 Oct

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Posted in Discrimination, Games, Science, Software, Technology | 2 Comments »

I attended 2 panels at Geek Girl Con.

I was disappointed in Women Running Geeky Businesses- not because of the panelists, who were great, but because it didn’t focus on the challenges of being a woman running a business, running a geeky business, or being a woman running a geeky business. It was mostly about how to run a business. That’s not bad, but also not what I’m looking for in a panel specifically about being a WOMAN running a GEEKY business.

There are gender issues in geek culture. That’s why this con exists. I wanted to hear those addressed.

Geek Girl Con is a Success


10 Oct

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Posted in Games, Science, Software, Technology | Comments Off

Geek Girl Con sold out on both Saturday and Sunday. In fact, I got there late enough on Saturday to check in with my pre-bought ticket that they did not actually have any 2 Day passes left- the girl had to take a guest pass, cross out the “guest” and write 2 Day on it. They were also out of lanyards and the generic con swag bags.

I am thrilled that the con did so well in its first year. There is definite room for improvement, but the first ever Geek Girl Con definitely has to be considered a success.

Follow Up: Wal-Mart discrimination case


20 Jun

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Posted in Discrimination | Comments Off

I am saddened, but sadly, not surprised, by the Supreme Court’s decision in favor of Wal-Mart in the huge class action case for gender discrimination that was brought against them. The court decided that these women did not deserve the protection of a class action, that the interests of Wal-Mart outweighed the interests of millions of women.

But it is a decision that makes sense for a court that has decided corporations are citizens, and that in most cases, they are more equal than the rest of us, or at least more equal than those of us with less money.

In South Dakota


30 Mar

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Posted in Discrimination, Healthcare, Politics | Comments Off

In South Dakota, there’s a 48 hour waiting period before purchasing a handgun. No permit is required. Police record who buys the gun.

In South Dakota, there’s a 72 hour waiting period before receiving an abortion. Anti-abortion counseling is required before the waiting period starts. Religious groups, who are not bound by privacy laws, record all the women who come in for counseling.

I’m not against real counseling, but it should be done by healthcare professionals who are bound to protect their patients’ personal information. And I don’t think it should be easier to obtain a gun than an abortion.

Bonus Science Content: Math is for Boys


29 Mar

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Posted in Discrimination, School, Science | Comments Off

I’m not certain if I find this funny or sad.

This is an article about a new study from the University of Washington which tells us that children as young as second grade have absorbed the stereotype that girls aren’t good at math, that math is for boys. It contains some useful hints for helping your daughters overcome this stereotype, while at the same time, falling prey to it.

“…if she works at [math], she CAN be good at it.” The line assumes that all girls are naturally not good at math. And they wonder where the stereotype comes from.

Wal-Mart at the Supreme Court


29 Mar

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Posted in Discrimination, Work | Comments Off

Today, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in the Wal-Mart discrimination suit. Today will not be about whether or not Wal-Mart actually discriminated against women, but about whether the women can file suit in a single, nationwide class-action.

I’ve written about this before. Today, I am focused on the judges. The conservative majority has a history of siding with big business, but doing so in this case would mean ignoring 45 years of precedent.

I’m encouraged by the three women on the bench. It’s harder to pretend discrimination doesn’t really exist when you’re sitting next to people who’ve faced it.

 

The Pay Gap


04 Mar

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Posted in Discrimination, Finances | Comments Off

Threads on the pay gap between men and women (and whose fault it is) pop up pretty regularly over at Your Money. Truth be told, I think we regulars all make close to the same arguments every time. I’m good with that.

I believe the only way we fix underlying gender discrimination in our society is by talking about it, by making people aware. Even for people who disagree with the way I see things, I believe they will be more conscious of their own actions in situations where gender discrimination might come up, if they’ve thought about it recently.

Why Geek Girl Con is Important


02 Mar

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Posted in Discrimination, School, Science | Comments Off

As a society have built up attitudes regarding what girls and boys are supposed to be good at. This article details a study that shows just how important it is for girls to have female role models in math and science. Girls are more actively engaged, try harder, and honestly believe they can do the math when they see other women do math. This is true even when the girls are better at math than the boys. If they only see men, it does not matter how skilled the girls actually are, they don’t believe they can do the math.

South Dakota Says Its Okay to Murder Medical Personnel


19 Feb

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Posted in Discrimination, Healthcare, Politics | Comments Off

Self defense laws already give us the right to kill to protect ourselves and our loved ones in cases of imminent danger.

So the purpose of this new South Dakota law? To give my brother the right to kill the MD who will provide my abortion, my ex the right to kill a volunteer at a clinic. That’s it.

Until we find a way for men to be pregnant, for their health to be at risk, they should have no say in whether or not I get an abortion. And they certainly shouldn’t have the right to kill medical providers.

On Being a Feminist (8)


13 Dec

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Posted in Discrimination, Finances, Politics, Work | Comments Off

There’s a suit against Wal-Mart that going to the Supreme Court. The only thing being decided is whether or not the plaintiffs can bring the case as a class action. It involves up to 1.6 million women, in 3,400 stores and 170 job classifications. Too big, too difficult to manage, Wal-Mart claims.

But if there is no class, will Wal-Mart ever have to change their practice of discriminating against women? Will 1.6 million women sue? Or 3,400, or 170? Not likely, because most women Wal-Mart employs don’t have the resources.

Being poor is not a license for employers to discriminate.

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