Name: Anonymous 2012-08-23 0:47
this a tool used to help people from outside a minority group understand their privilege
Not having to explain why the term "gentlemen" doesn't include you.
Never having to navigate others' confusion about how to refer to you when not using your name.
Not ever being called "the lady programmer".
Never being the special case ("hi guys and girls, I guess, too, if you want to get really technical about it!!")
Never feeling compelled to ease the discomfort of someone who realizes that they have forgotten to include you in their greeting because of your gender, whether or not you were actually bothered by the omission.
Not having to wonder whether you're well-known in your community simply for being "the female one".
Expecting that if you say you are a programmer, people will believe you.
Never being described as "hot" first and a competent professional second.
The freedom to watch a technical talk without being explicitly reminded that many of your colleagues see you primarily as a sex object. (See also: Sexualized environment.)
If you're heterosexual, knowing that you will almost certainly be able to join in appreciation of the sex object du jour.
Being free to do your job without anyone insinuating that you only got hired because of affirmative action or "quotas", or because of the anatomy you happen to possess. (See also: Tokenism.)
Being free to attend a technical talk without anyone assuming that you're only there because your boyfriend dragged you along with him.
Attending conferences without fellow attendees posting pictures of you on Twitter solely because people of your gender are a novelty.
Expecting that when you attend a conference, giveaway shirts will be available in a cut designed with bodies like yours and fashion norms like those attached to your gender in mind, even if they are out of your size. If shirts are provided from event signups, there is no need to do anything more complicated than specifying shirt size. (See: T-shirts.)
Never being asked whether you got lost upon entering a computer science classroom.
Being able to listen to speakers refer to non-gendered items as defaulting to male (such as calling an inanimate software construct "this guy") without being reminded that you are a minority gender in the room. This reminder can result in feeling othered and getting distracted from the content of the talk.
Not having to deal with awkwardness after someone complimented you on your work in a non-gender-appropriate way and then tries to correct themselves (for example: "you the MAN! err... you the woMAN!").
Not having to worry that you will be insulted in a way that calls attention to your gender (for example: "bitch", "whore").
The freedom to laugh at jokey photos of women holding bumper stickers about closures because they're as funny to you as pictures of cats "reading" calculus books, rather than wondering whether your colleagues see you in the same way as those women.
The freedom to listen to speakers say that software should be so easy to use that even your mom could use it without wondering whether they have you in mind.
The freedom to laugh at stories about speakers' significant others not understanding something technical without wondering whether they have you in mind.
The freedom to listen to speakers say that instant messaging isn't just for teenage girls talking about the Backstreet Boys without wondering whether they have you-ten-years-ago in mind.
The expectation that if you attend a professional conference, there will be a restroom you can use. (See also: Restroom.)
Never being excluded from the conclusion of an important conversation being conducted in the hallway because the rest of the group decided to stop at the restroom. (See also: Restroom.)
Never being embarrassed by almost accidentally walking into the wrong restroom because you were distracted by an important conversation.
Being invited to play video games with your colleagues, because they haven't assumed you won't be interested because of your gender.
Having colleagues who can close the door when they talk to you if the conversation is loud or should remain private, without anyone worrying about impropriety, assault, or false accusations. (See also: Personal safety)
Not having to think about what gender you are.
Not being accidentally called by the name of an employee who does not resemble you in any way except for gender.
When touring a prospective workplace, seeing your gender heavily represented among the employees and making you feel right away like you belong in the new environment, rather than the opposite.
Being able to casually say the phrase, "I get it," and be taken seriously and included in the group of elite people that "get it."
Not feeling exploited when companies make a show of supporting gender equality in their promotional materials, but don't actually practice what they preach in terms of hiring and promoting.
Not having to explain why the term "gentlemen" doesn't include you.
Never having to navigate others' confusion about how to refer to you when not using your name.
Not ever being called "the lady programmer".
Never being the special case ("hi guys and girls, I guess, too, if you want to get really technical about it!!")
Never feeling compelled to ease the discomfort of someone who realizes that they have forgotten to include you in their greeting because of your gender, whether or not you were actually bothered by the omission.
Not having to wonder whether you're well-known in your community simply for being "the female one".
Expecting that if you say you are a programmer, people will believe you.
Never being described as "hot" first and a competent professional second.
The freedom to watch a technical talk without being explicitly reminded that many of your colleagues see you primarily as a sex object. (See also: Sexualized environment.)
If you're heterosexual, knowing that you will almost certainly be able to join in appreciation of the sex object du jour.
Being free to do your job without anyone insinuating that you only got hired because of affirmative action or "quotas", or because of the anatomy you happen to possess. (See also: Tokenism.)
Being free to attend a technical talk without anyone assuming that you're only there because your boyfriend dragged you along with him.
Attending conferences without fellow attendees posting pictures of you on Twitter solely because people of your gender are a novelty.
Expecting that when you attend a conference, giveaway shirts will be available in a cut designed with bodies like yours and fashion norms like those attached to your gender in mind, even if they are out of your size. If shirts are provided from event signups, there is no need to do anything more complicated than specifying shirt size. (See: T-shirts.)
Never being asked whether you got lost upon entering a computer science classroom.
Being able to listen to speakers refer to non-gendered items as defaulting to male (such as calling an inanimate software construct "this guy") without being reminded that you are a minority gender in the room. This reminder can result in feeling othered and getting distracted from the content of the talk.
Not having to deal with awkwardness after someone complimented you on your work in a non-gender-appropriate way and then tries to correct themselves (for example: "you the MAN! err... you the woMAN!").
Not having to worry that you will be insulted in a way that calls attention to your gender (for example: "bitch", "whore").
The freedom to laugh at jokey photos of women holding bumper stickers about closures because they're as funny to you as pictures of cats "reading" calculus books, rather than wondering whether your colleagues see you in the same way as those women.
The freedom to listen to speakers say that software should be so easy to use that even your mom could use it without wondering whether they have you in mind.
The freedom to laugh at stories about speakers' significant others not understanding something technical without wondering whether they have you in mind.
The freedom to listen to speakers say that instant messaging isn't just for teenage girls talking about the Backstreet Boys without wondering whether they have you-ten-years-ago in mind.
The expectation that if you attend a professional conference, there will be a restroom you can use. (See also: Restroom.)
Never being excluded from the conclusion of an important conversation being conducted in the hallway because the rest of the group decided to stop at the restroom. (See also: Restroom.)
Never being embarrassed by almost accidentally walking into the wrong restroom because you were distracted by an important conversation.
Being invited to play video games with your colleagues, because they haven't assumed you won't be interested because of your gender.
Having colleagues who can close the door when they talk to you if the conversation is loud or should remain private, without anyone worrying about impropriety, assault, or false accusations. (See also: Personal safety)
Not having to think about what gender you are.
Not being accidentally called by the name of an employee who does not resemble you in any way except for gender.
When touring a prospective workplace, seeing your gender heavily represented among the employees and making you feel right away like you belong in the new environment, rather than the opposite.
Being able to casually say the phrase, "I get it," and be taken seriously and included in the group of elite people that "get it."
Not feeling exploited when companies make a show of supporting gender equality in their promotional materials, but don't actually practice what they preach in terms of hiring and promoting.