From the Scene: LWV Observer at Work





In addition to admiring Jane’s conscientiousness, I like seeing women ‘of a certain age’ empowered with laptops.

(This was posted from tonight’s Planning Commission work session on the Comp Plan.)

4 Comments

  1. Holly Cairns said:

    Is this referencing ageism, or sexism?

    I want a society where there are less preconceived notions. Dream on, right?

    Who happened to catch this Midmorning broadcast about women leaving technology and science jobs when they reach a certain age (35-40):


    An exodus from the sciences
    Broadcast: Midmorning, 05/27/2008, 9:06 a.m.

    Hmm, of course women leave those professions when they get older. That’s the age where you might not look as good sitting at your desk, and if you know something you’re a bitch or crazy.

    I’d like you to know I’m not some super feminist– in fact, I have always disliked the common feminist approach. A little too anit-male, it seems to me. However, I have experienced situations where I feel discriminated against for being in the technology field.

    Maybe we need a new-fangled feminist approach. ah, but perhaps any new equal rights movement would again be shut down by men and women who worry we’ll have to share the same bathrooms and be in the army together.

    Anyway, back to topic. I dislike it when people assume others probably don’t know anything about technology. Also, I dislike the way techies look for what others don’t know, instead of what they do know. There’s a lot to know re: technology. Constantly changing field.

    June 4, 2008
  2. Tracy Davis said:

    Actually, Holly, my comment was about the only thing that occurred to me to tap out on my cell phone while trying to appear that I was paying attention in the meeting.

    If I’d said what I REALLY meant, it wouldn’t have anything to do with age or sex, but would rather be something like, “Oh, my god, I can’t believe I’m witnessing somebody at City Hall who’s conversant with modern technology.” 🙂

    June 4, 2008
  3. Holly Cairns said:

    Oh, one of those meetings. Eyes half open.

    June 4, 2008
  4. Britt Ackerman said:

    Sheesh. My running joke at the courthouse where no one can get the newfangled expensive technology to work is “does anyone have a 12 year old in the car?” It’s not ageist, it’s just funny.

    It used to be that typing was a learned skill, and professionals relied primarily on typists, as they couldn’t type themselves.

    Things have changed. My parents are so computer illiterate they would call me and have me access their email so I could read a funny forward. Yet last time I was at home, my mom was flying through eBay like a pro to show me her stuff she’s having sold on commission. A year ago she’d never CONSIDER buying something on line.

    Now that I’ve introduced her to Zappos, she’s changed her mind.

    Its not about age or gender, its about opportunity and choices. And I think that older people can get along without it longer because they managed to survive into adulthood before the internet revolution. Whereas today’s 12 year old has only known technology and learned it from infancy like no other generation prior.

    Yet some of today’s 12 year olds can’t read proficiently.

    Anyway, obviously I didn’t find the observation to be offensive. These are mine.

    June 4, 2008

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