While many glibly tag feminism as being some kind of "opportunities for the gifted program" or make the easily disproven claim that all women benefit from the success of a few women, the only acceptable purpose in changing the gender demographics of centers of influence and power is to change the centers of influence and power. But most women who enter the ranks of corporate privilege don't change these institutions; those institutions have changed them.
For decades now, these few women have been making that faustian deal. They rise to a position within a company and quickly learn to say "I don't consider myself a feminist." Nothing new there. It's almost part of the culture of many industries -- including, as I learned long ago, mainstream journalism -- and it's apparently part of Marissa's world. That's code. It says "I'm here. I'm a woman. But I'm not a threat. I'll just try and act like you."
They not only don't change the technology industry's culture but they actually serve to further entrench it.
When something is controlled by men, it starts to look, sound and act male. With its curt abbreviations, its "one sentence" communication, its nasty exchanges, its emphasis on arcane code and unclear logic, and its impatience with "the problems" caused by people who are actually using the stuff, the Internet technologist community can often be like a High School boys' locker room in the late afternoon.
How would it be different with a strong presence of women? I don't know; it hasn't happened. But I do know how Yahoo's deceptively simple order will make it much more difficult for women to integrate technology. It entrenches the limited choices women have to make -- raise kids or work. It forces women into the arena of male domination as any woman who has worked in an office dominated by men will tell you. It makes company spying on female exployees work hours communications easier and can lead to cutting off the opportunity to collaborate with other women (outside the company) world-wide. It just makes work more difficult and that is something women definitely do not need right now.
Will all this happen with every woman? Absolutely not. Some will overcome these obstacles. But there is no good reason to force women to overcome obstacles in order to contribute to humanity's life.
I don't think Marissa Mayer is purposely targeting women. I think she just doesn't care. Her action is a reflection of the jolting self-absorption that is the fulcrum of corporate executive culture.
There's really only one way to combat this. We build on our own achievement: the huge, free, open and powerful Internet that is constantly reinventing itself as it reinvents our culture and forces us to embrace collaboration once again. We work consciously to build a culture in which women are comfortable, supported and encouraged to contribute. With our work and commitment, we answer Marissa Mayer's comments and thinking and we march forward into a world that her data can't describe.
ALFREDO LOPEZ is a member of ThisCantBeHappening!, the new independent Project Censored Award-winning online alternative newspaper. His work, and that of colleagues JOHN GRANT, DAVE LINDORFF, GARY LINDORFF, LORI SPENCER, LINN WASHINGTON, JR. and CHARLES M. YOUNG, can be found at http://www.thiscantbehappening.net.
Originally published by http://www.thiscantbehappening.net
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