Hi, Thomas Bushnell, BSG wrote: > Helen Faulkner <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: >> Partly it's knowing that I'm going to be dealing with a man (almost >> certainly), and he may assume I don't know what I'm doing, and he may >> put me down or be condescending or unkind as a result. > > Are you assuming that all men will do this?
Note the word "may". > The men who do might well be > operating from a negative stereotype of women. But it sounds to me as if > you are countering with your own negative stereotype of men. > You know, that mail clearly shows that you're part of the problem here. The fear she talks about is _hardly_ uncommon. It's the reason why there are women-only computer courses, for example. I would certainly argue that the fear is mostly unfounded, but that doesn't make it any less real. It's a cultural thing -- have you ever spent any time in a typical high school science class? *Ugh*. -- Matthias Urlichs
