Geek Who? - Page 2

This isn't, in any sense, a gender fight nor is it the intention to address gender equality and rights issues. The intent here is to see why the female population is less represented in computer fields and how they can be brought up to equitable levels based on merit. A woman pilot is called a pilot and not a girl pilot, a female driving a car is called a driver and not a woman driver, and a girl cook is called a cook, not a girl cook. Why limit computing skills to gender? Yet another unfounded stereotype!

It is not understood how the term geek girl has arisen instead of simply 'geek' in the first instance. In the IT environment, computers (or for that matter, any machines) are neutral. They cannot ascertain the gender of the user. Moreover, IT should be considered a tool that needs to be adapted rather than redefining the terms of gender. Anyone keen about the use of computer technologies should be described as a geek and not necessarily a geek girl or a geek boy. Ideally, there should not be any gender bias when it comes to assigning role and status to women working in IT.

A wide gap exists in head counts when it comes to notable role models like computer science teachers or computer engineers or those using computers and the Internet for communication, but it is not due to technology aversions or any computer phobias. How can the female achieve the skill level that shows in workplaces and personal life? The answer to this question has its roots in social, cultural, historic and economic factors.

Parents here buy computers for boys. Girls still use their "brothers' computers" when they have finished. Girls simply cannot use services in cyber cafes due to the ill repute those public places have earned. Ironically, the developers write gaming and other software targeting male users. Generally speaking, more websites are of interest to males as compared to other half of the population. Parental endorsement, opportunities, and the Web contents set the attitude of female. All this has to change if the female population is to be taken along in this much hyped information revolution.

Despite the constraints and chauvinism of this sort, there are already females who have a strong interest in the field (call them geeks if you must). They are as good geeks as their male counterparts. More than just a career or a meaningful interest, geeking is becoming a way of life for girls; even cool. "It's chic to be geek…" But here one has to look beyond the stereotypical profiles of women in our society to find them. The male to female ratio in undergraduate and postgraduate-level courses in IT institutions is improving. Girls pursuing business degrees (MPAs, MBAs) are also taking more IT courses to further their computer skills. But females will be seen in high profile positions in corporate Pakistan and in native IT hubs when this breed joins the workforce and when corporate Pakistan starts realizing their presence is beneficial in many ways.

Article Author: S A J Shirazi

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