Nerd Girls and Kathie Lee
ROSE Blog: Rikki's Open Source Exchange
When I started this women in open source-focused blog, I never imagined I'd have a reason to mention Kathie Lee Gifford. But I saw the opportunity, and I'm taking the leap. I start each morning with Matt and Meredith on The TODAY Show, but I'm at the office by the time Kathie Lee and Hoda take over, so I missed the "Nerd Girls" topic last week.
Actually, I've been thinking about this topic a lot – it seems that there have been a series of articles about attractive, intelligent women lately, which I find rather irritating. I don't want to hear criticisms about what people wear in their non-fashion-industry careers, or that you can be "sexy" and intelligent (as if this is some huge revelation, anyway). For example, Newsweek recently ran a "Geek Girls" article, Revenge of the Nerdette, which said:
The Nerd Girls may not look like your stereotypical pocket-protector-loving misfits...but they're part of a growing breed of young women who are claiming the nerd label for themselves. In doing so, they're challenging the notion of what a geek should look like, either by intentionally sexing up their tech personas, or by simply finding no disconnect between their geeky pursuits and more traditionally girly interests such as fashion, makeup and high heels.
Intentionally sexing up their tech personas?
One of the many things I've always liked about working in open source is that the people are, for the most part, exceptionally free-thinking, intelligent, and diverse. What you contribute has always been more important than what you wear, how old you are, and how you look. More recently, I've enjoyed working in open source because there is a growing effort to support and encourage women, and to be more inclusive overall.
A few weeks ago, I ran across a blog posted by a woman who attended USENIX, and I was disappointed that she focused on what people looked like ("...the only other female at the tech conference who didn't have facial hair..."), or their personal hygiene ("...a good number of tech guys don't believe in personal hygiene..."). I have to wonder whether she got anything else out of being around such smart, creative people. Why was she there, and what did she expect? If she went to USENIX for a fashion show, I can understand her disappointment. Some of us who have quiet little private offices with beyond-casual dress codes find that it's a huge chore to dig out an iron and some slacks for conferences and events. (I did it! I said Kathie Lee and the word "slacks" in the same post.)
I'm thrilled that accomplished women are getting attention – but is it the attention they deserve?
Is it newsworthy that women can be smart and attractive? Is this kind of coverage of attractive "nerd girls" encouraging anyone to pursue careers in technology?
Or does focusing on what intelligent women look like merely help illustrate what we know already – there aren't many women working in technology, and often the focus is on their gender rather than their contributions.
Comments
comments powered by DisqusSubscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Endless OS 6 has Arrived
After more than a year since the last update, the latest release of Endless OS is now available for general usage.
-
Fedora Asahi 40 Remix Available for Macs with Apple Silicon
If you've been anticipating KDE's Plasma 6 for your Apple Silicon-powered Mac, then you're in luck.
-
Red Hat Adds New Deployment Option for Enterprise Linux Platforms
Red Hat has re-imagined enterprise Linux for an AI future with Image Mode.
-
OSJH and LPI Release 2024 Open Source Pros Job Survey Results
See what open source professionals look for in a new role.
-
Proton 9.0-1 Released to Improve Gaming with Steam
The latest release of Proton 9 adds several improvements and fixes an issue that has been problematic for Linux users.
-
So Long Neofetch and Thanks for the Info
Today is a day that every Linux user who enjoys bragging about their system(s) will mourn, as Neofetch has come to an end.
-
Ubuntu 24.04 Comes with a “Flaw"
If you're thinking you might want to upgrade from your current Ubuntu release to the latest, there's something you might want to consider before doing so.
-
Canonical Releases Ubuntu 24.04
After a brief pause because of the XZ vulnerability, Ubuntu 24.04 is now available for install.
-
Linux Servers Targeted by Akira Ransomware
A group of bad actors who have already extorted $42 million have their sights set on the Linux platform.
-
TUXEDO Computers Unveils Linux Laptop Featuring AMD Ryzen CPU
This latest release is the first laptop to include the new CPU from Ryzen and Linux preinstalled.
Thank