MVP Sex...

re: MVP Sex...

Sara Morgan — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 15:05:27 GMT

I am an independent author and developer who started developing web applications when all you had was a basic text editor. I have been writing technical articles since 1997 and this month, my 6th book was released for Microsoft Press about Microsoft Robotics Studio.

None of my books have been huge sellers and at a recent Microsoft sponsored event (in which I was the only woman invited), I asked the men in the room why they thought my books did badly. Not one of them said, "Gee, maybe you are a bad author", or "It is probably just bad luck", or "No books in the IT business do that well (which is the actual truth).

One guy suggested that I change my publishing name to S. Morgan, so people would no see that I was a girl. He thought my sales would go up that way. This guy works for Microsoft. He was a nice guy, he meant well, and I will never reveal his name, but all the other men in the room immediatley echoed his remarks and thought it was a GREAT idea.

I think it is a horrible idea and I have no intention of doing it. I think it is my responsibility as a woman to continue demonstrating that women can be just as kick a#$ good at this as men. I think my books (especially the last one about MSRS) are pretty good. I put a lot of work into them and I think that shows up. I will keep working to improve the perception that women cannot do this job as well as men, because we can.!!!!

Re: Christopher Brumme - Why start a weblog?

Channel 9 — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 20:43:56 GMT

Weblogs reveal some of the most intresting stories ever. i.e.

re: MVP Sex...

Terri Morton — Thu, 29 Apr 2004 02:16:00 GMT

Ooops. My URL is now fixed. I REALLY need a website. Too bad I don't know any web developers <vbg>!

Terri

re: MVP Sex...

Terri Morton — Thu, 29 Apr 2004 02:14:00 GMT

Hey Rob, maybe this topic should have been "MVP Gender" ;-)

I attended the Philly.NET user group meeting (for the first time) last week, and the VB.NET Roadshow was presenting. The room was packed, prehaps around 150 people, and of those there were no more than 1 dozen females. That's less than 10%.

It seems that the female representation in the MVP Awards reflects the approximately the same percentage.

And Lamont, I too noticed and remarked on the lack of African Americans at the Summit. I was noticing this on executive day. I only saw ONE, and presumably that was you!

I think Microsoft has a lot of work to do to broaden the diversity in the developer community. To me, that is perhaps the point of the remarks. In fact, this is one area in which MVPs might be able to help. I have been giving this some thought actually and am not sure how to proceed with it.

Terri

TrackBack — Wed, 28 Apr 2004 22:39:00 GMT

TrackBack — Wed, 28 Apr 2004 19:06:00 GMT

re: MVP Sex...

Datagrid Girl — Wed, 28 Apr 2004 11:59:00 GMT

I certainly never said that "gender is an important factor in my daily life".

re: MVP Sex...

Rob Chartier — Tue, 27 Apr 2004 08:42:00 GMT

Of all of the comments and coverage that this topic has generated I like what
Avonelle Lovhaug (http://www.coolbits.nu/) had to say in her various responses in the community.

Specifically her post on Susan Warren's blog (http://weblogs.asp.net/swarren/archive/2004/04/26/120366.aspx#120765).

We should be focusing on the important issues here. And sorry to say, for me, gender just doesnt matter to me at all -in the IT industry-.

I guess "important issues" are something you need to work out for yourself. To Julia and Marcie, it would seem, they see gender as an important factor for their daily IT life. And that they need to work towards helping other women get into our industry. Like I said, I dont care about gender and wouldnt go out of my way to help a woman or man (or whatever) in our industry. I would help them both equally! I guess if some women feel that they need to bind together and help (only?) each other out then so be it.

-Rob

Diversity is a choice

TrackBack — Mon, 26 Apr 2004 20:35:00 GMT

Congratulations Julia!

TrackBack — Mon, 26 Apr 2004 13:13:00 GMT