No, I do not provide childcare at my technology events...–my editorial at SQLServerCentral

SQLServerCentral, a fairly stereotypical nerd site full of great info on your subject matter of choice, this one is SQL.  How you ask did I of all people get asked to write an editorial for these guys?  My big mouth of course, are you surprised?  It goes back to a conversation I had with Steve Jones, from the site while chatting at a conference a while back.  He is publishing a series of guest editorials on the topic of women in technology and the differences between men and women in the tech world.

To read the full editorial, you will have to sign up for the site, free registration.  You can opt in or out of anything you want, you won’t get spammed by them.

My favorite line is the closing one “A woman can be your equal and if you spend too much time grumbling under your breath, she will quickly become your superior.”

No, I do not provide childcare at my technology events... – SQLServerCentral

I got an email from a reader named Alistair.  I have his permission to post it here, I offered to link to his site/blog/twitter and he said there was not one to point to.  I truly love and respect the opinions of others, I don’t mind being challenged in what I believe, I welcome it.  After the email below, I replied, he replied and I feel we actually both believe the same things.  (there is also an active discussion going on at the site, really enjoying watching the discussions, have a look yourself)

Dear Julie,

I hated your editorial (Editorial - No, I do not provide childcare at my technology events...) .

I actually find the best colleagues at work are women with children – they give 110% when they are there but they often have that fixed appointment when they need to go and fetch the kids so just have to get the urgent job done by then – a helpful distinction with singles of either sex who have nothing important in their lives at all to go home too so are hard to get to focus.

I also hate it when women seek to earn points but trying to appear even less humane that their male colleagues.

Work is what we do to pay our way and make a contribution to society it is less important that people and family – yes it is a BOTH AND but people & humanity first – always.

I personally would like to see a greater family emphasis in work and at tech events – having children in and around might SANE us all up as techies ion a group tend to behave like emotional retards anyway – having real children close by might make us better.

I was at SQL Bits this week in York when I got a message that my 10 year old was playing hockey the following day 400 miles away – I was stuck at a techie social where video gaming was the main draw and had another day of conference – I lost all heart to be there any longer.

Sorry – I just felt a strong need to reply, direct.

I have bookmarked your site – I am sure there is much for me to learn!

(we have exchanged a couple more emails, he’s a good guy, we agree on more things than we disagree on, who knew!)

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