Women in Technical Fields

This article was posted both on Twitter and on Facebook by the lovely and talented Felicia Day, who, a friend of mine had the recent opportunity to meet at FanExpo, which I wasn't even aware was happening... Next year... Next year.

Aside from all that jealousy about what my friend was able to see/do at FanExpo without me, Felicia, interestingly enough, is making quite the point. If you read the article (and admittedly, I was agreeing with the article so much I never quite made it to the end), it's describing a situation where we're almost forcing women into technical fields. I've always felt forcing an issue is wrong, especially of this nature.

This actually reminds me of an episode of the show "rescue me" that I recently re-watched where the lead character "Tommy" (Denis Leary) goes on a rant regarding racial equality in the FDNY; he makes the very important point that maybe it isn't the FDNY that's not hiring the blacks, jews or whatever into the department, but rather that it's the blacks, jews or what-have-you that simply don't want the damn job.

I would apply that logic here, while I agree with this article. While there's an opportunity here to promote women in the workplace, and certainly there are many women who have the physical capability of working in IT/Tech, as well as the brain power to do it as well (if given proper motivation, interest, etc.), however, just simply do not take enough interest in HOW the Internet works, to actually get into the inner-workings of the field. If these people, regardless of their gender, do not have the interest in the job, then are they really the right people for the job? Why should we, or anyone for that matter, be putting them into a position where they are, perhaps, doing something they may not enjoy?

To be totally blunt, I've always had the mindset that, I don't care if you're black, white, Jewish, Spanish, Mexican, Egyptian, Chinese, Cuban or Hungarian; if you can do the job, and do it well, then you should be doing the job. It's all about the right person for the right job, and getting the job done; It's never been WHO does the job, not to me. And that goes for every profession. Everything from Firefighters, to IT and beyond. If you want the job, and you can do it, then go for it.

I don't see why anyone would want anything different from that.