Re: IT screen goddesses
* Vani Raja <vani@webchic.net> [2006:07:09 15:23 -0700]:
> I think it's perfectly fine to publicize that women can be both
> brilliant with IT and beautiful at the same time. :o)
Why have a focus on women being beautiful at all when technical jobs
focus on intelligence? I don't see how that's relevant or useful to
women's positions in the working world. Is this calendar implying that
women avoid the field because they can no longer be beauty queens if
they're geeks? If so, that's pretty condescending. I have seen more
negative stereotyping of male geeks' appearances and I don't see any
calendars with them half-naked to promote a more realistic view. It is
the same objectification of women as always, it's just being sold
differently.
I think the deeper issue here is not necessarily that these women
decided to pose for these pictures, but rather *why*. I find the
reasoning quite disturbing and although I know it conforms to societal
norms and expectations (that it is crucial for women to be attractive),
I can't help but think that is incredibly sad. The whole thing
perpetuates more stereotypes and ideas than I can probably even
elaborate on.
(And yes, I know that the women agreed to do this -- I am not saying
they're unwitting pawns or anything. How posing half-naked convinces
anyone you're a good programmer or whatever is beyond me. I disagree
that it is useful in any way.)
--
off the chain like a rebellious guanine nucleotide
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