In "Women in computing: first,
get the problem right", ESR explains that everyone else just
misunderstood the problems that keep women away from computing and other
technical fields; and that although achieving equality is precluded by
the difference in dispersion of the IQ curves
, his
insights can help to establish the large, happy female
minority
that is the best we can hope for in its stead.
Talking about prejudice in this context is lazy, stupid, [and]
wrong
, and the real reason women bail out of computing
is that they have short fertile periods, and their biological instincts
tell them not to waste time on the warrior-ethic
ways of
programming.
By these and other bold observations, ESR demonstrates the honesty and
willingness to speak uncomfortable truths
that are
prerequisite to addressing the problem. For example:
I don't mean to deny that there is still prejudice against women lurking
in dark corners of the field.
Prejudice. Lurking in dark corners. Who would have thought it?
I'll file this article away right next to his equally-insightful
“Sex tips for geeks”.