So.. I've been interested in computer science for as long as I've gotten to know about it. Although I am seriously considering pursuing a career as a programmer or at least something in the field in the future, I'm a bit hesitant about it having heard of people treating females as "anomalies", given that the industry is dominated by men It doesn't help that whenever people find out about my interest in programming, they look at me oddly and probably think of me as abnormal Opinions? It'd be great if you're a fellow female who's taken CS or know of anyone who has!
Last edited by untoldbattles : 23-10-2016 at 06:23 AM.
Well its a mixed bag imo. I do think men and woman gravitate to different things - and I don't blame "social constructs" and "the patriarchy" for that.
I also know a lot of women who like gaming and computers. Ubisoft was run by a woman for awhile (Jade Raymond). I don't find it that shocking if women want to study CS - especially since woman are growing to seriously outnumber men at universities.
So a gal interested in CS is a deviation from the mean but not some odd outlier imo.
I'd say if you have a passion for it go for it, screw what other people think. It's tough when people are being judgmental but are those the people you really want around you? True friends to my mind are people who accept you for you and even if they don't share your passion respect the fact that you are passssionate about said thing (be it IT,language,sport etc)
'Never forget what you are. The rest of the world will not. Wear it like armor, and it can never be used to hurt you.'
['There is only one thing we say to death. Not today'.']
'We are each our own devil, and we make this world our hell.’ – Oscar Wilde
‘It’s hard to dance with the devil on your back.’ Sydney Carter
Well, the only way to change attitudes and show the world that there's nothing wrong or weird about women working in a "male" job is for women to enter those fields :)
I think how people and employers as well as coworkers react depends a lot on their individual outlook and it is hard to predict. Some people will give you a hard time, but there will also be people who are supportive and impressed.
Looking at it from a different angle I would like to point out some practical advantages of pursing a career in a male dominated field - there's plenty of grants etc out there that have been created to encourage women to enter a field. Depending on what level of education you want and if research projects and similar would be interesting for you that provides you with more opportunities than you will have otherwise. At least that is the case here in Germany, you might want to look into it or talk to some career advice person to get a better idea of how things are where you live.
Also, maybe see if you can find general information or forums re women in computer science with the help of Google. Might be worth a shot to see if you are able to find some first hand accounts that way or even someone in the field who you can ask questions.
Thanks for the valuable input everyone! I guess I'll just follow my heart and ignore what other people think :) I'm not sure about how it's like elsewhere, but speaking for the country I am in, the universities here have only 20-30% of their undergraduates (in computing schools at least) being women
Well, the only way to change attitudes and show the world that there's nothing wrong or weird about women working in a "male" job is for women to enter those fields :)
I think how people and employers as well as coworkers react depends a lot on their individual outlook and it is hard to predict. Some people will give you a hard time, but there will also be people who are supportive and impressed.
Looking at it from a different angle I would like to point out some practical advantages of pursing a career in a male dominated field - there's plenty of grants etc out there that have been created to encourage women to enter a field. Depending on what level of education you want and if research projects and similar would be interesting for you that provides you with more opportunities than you will have otherwise. At least that is the case here in Germany, you might want to look into it or talk to some career advice person to get a better idea of how things are where you live.
Also, maybe see if you can find general information or forums re women in computer science with the help of Google. Might be worth a shot to see if you are able to find some first hand accounts that way or even someone in the field who you can ask questions.
Alright, thanks! I'll look up some forums when I can!
I'm in a male dominated field too and whilst I have left a job due to gender discrimination this has been the only time I have noticed the problem.
I'm not sure what part of the world you are from but in the UK there is an Athena Swan charter that UK universities have signed up for to decrease gender discrimination. More and more departments are getting silver and gold stars as they try to tackle it head on.
I'm probably a bit late responding to this. However, I wanted to say that when I did computer science in sixth form there were three girls in the class including me in a class of about 25. Gender wasn't an issue at all and we weren't treated differently by either the teachers or the other students. I would say go for it, if you're interested in computer science. You will find that there are more men than women, it just depends on whether that bothers you or not.
But I'm a female, and I currently have a Higher National Diploma in Software Development and I'm working on my BSc Web and Mobile Development.
It is an extremely male dominated field, but that's not always a bad thing. It makes us females stand out, and companies often like to balance out the ratio of each gender.
I'm female and did a CS Masters, Engineering undergrad. If it's what you enjoy, go for it. It was male dominated in Uni, but my first job after actually had quite a few females, most of them had been there a really long time too. I did have an interview in one place that was very male dominated and had a horrible atmosphere but it was very obvious that was the case at the interview, so there's no way I would have worked there.
I'm trying to work for myself now. The only way I could say I've been treated as an anomaly is in the most complimentary sense in that I am the go to person for advice for anyone who knows me, or even people who know of me and know I can help with computer problems/websites etc.
So don't worry. If it's what you want to do, go for it. The most important thing is doing what you enjoy. It can actually be advantageous being a woman when looking for a job in CS or other male dominated industries if they have to try to have a good gender balance (as I see Sycamores has pointed out too). The people who look at you oddly now are the same people who will be looking at you for help when you're qualified, trust me!
If you have any other questions about it feel free to ask.
I studied Comp Science and I've worked a bit in the field. Gender is not an issue at all, most boys who're interested in tech/programming are regarded as anomalies anyway, I don't think having a different gender changes that.
It doesn't help that whenever people find out about my interest in programming, they look at me oddly and probably think of me as abnormal 
Opinions? It'd be great if you're a fellow female who's taken CS or know of anyone who has!
