Comments on: “Take me! I am available! I am yours!” http://crueltobekind.org/take-me-i-am-available-i-am-yours-366 Thu, 19 Aug 2010 13:44:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Jonathan Marks http://crueltobekind.org/take-me-i-am-available-i-am-yours-366#comment-496 Jonathan Marks Sat, 10 Mar 2007 15:44:00 +0000 http://crueltobekind.org/take-me-i-am-available-i-am-yours-366#comment-496 I do quite a lot of conference organisation and actively seek out intelligent women to take part in panels or keynote. I find that in many countries women are often comfortable in coming forward to sell a product or a service, but less forthcoming in wanting to stand up and share an opinion, especially in a male-dominated conference/audience. I can appreciate it. Some of the media conferences I have been to lately in the Netherlands are 95% male and it must be daunting to face the greying mass. That's why active search by organizers is important to balance the situation. Fortunately, there are many female authors and journalists who are willing to share experiences when approached in the right way. And, over time, this helps to set the gender balance better in the audience. I do quite a lot of conference organisation and actively seek out intelligent women to take part in panels or keynote. I find that in many countries women are often comfortable in coming forward to sell a product or a service, but less forthcoming in wanting to stand up and share an opinion, especially in a male-dominated conference/audience. I can appreciate it. Some of the media conferences I have been to lately in the Netherlands are 95% male and it must be daunting to face the greying mass. That’s why active search by organizers is important to balance the situation. Fortunately, there are many female authors and journalists who are willing to share experiences when approached in the right way. And, over time, this helps to set the gender balance better in the audience.

]]> By: Janette Girod http://crueltobekind.org/take-me-i-am-available-i-am-yours-366#comment-495 Janette Girod Mon, 05 Mar 2007 11:32:00 +0000 http://crueltobekind.org/take-me-i-am-available-i-am-yours-366#comment-495 This post made me laugh. For some reason, these 'innuendo alarms' never go off in my head, to the great amusement of my friends. For example, on the barcamplondon2 helpers list, I put 'ready and willing', without a second thought. Several of my friends were pleased to point out this phrase's more salacious connotations, and I told them they were far too old to be acting so adolescent. But of course I only held out a few days before I went and edited the phrase! For me, part of my reluctance to participate in these things is that it is still such a <i>big deal</i> to have girls around. (I'm as guilty of it as anyone, having read most uk geek girls' blogs and only a fraction of the guys'.) It's no excuse not to participate, but it will be a relief when it's no longer a novelty to have ladies on stage. (There really is no escaping the innuendo, is there?) This post made me laugh. For some reason, these ‘innuendo alarms’ never go off in my head, to the great amusement of my friends. For example, on the barcamplondon2 helpers list, I put ‘ready and willing’, without a second thought. Several of my friends were pleased to point out this phrase’s more salacious connotations, and I told them they were far too old to be acting so adolescent. But of course I only held out a few days before I went and edited the phrase!

For me, part of my reluctance to participate in these things is that it is still such a big deal to have girls around. (I’m as guilty of it as anyone, having read most uk geek girls’ blogs and only a fraction of the guys’.) It’s no excuse not to participate, but it will be a relief when it’s no longer a novelty to have ladies on stage. (There really is no escaping the innuendo, is there?)

]]> By: Valeria Maltoni http://crueltobekind.org/take-me-i-am-available-i-am-yours-366#comment-494 Valeria Maltoni Sat, 03 Mar 2007 17:54:00 +0000 http://crueltobekind.org/take-me-i-am-available-i-am-yours-366#comment-494 Nicole, Greetings via Diva Marketing from a "Made in Italy" living in the US. That is a powerful concept, which I can really see in how companies view workers even in a more progressive environment such as the one on this side of the pond. The only logical solution I see to that is to never give up and continue doing what one does best. Where do I apply? Nicole,

Greetings via Diva Marketing from a “Made in Italy” living in the US. That is a powerful concept, which I can really see in how companies view workers even in a more progressive environment such as the one on this side of the pond. The only logical solution I see to that is to never give up and continue doing what one does best. Where do I apply?

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