The Male Programmer Privilege Checklist

The Male Programmer Privilege Checklist. Wow, I found myself nodding along at SO MANY of those:

• Not having to wonder whether you’re well-known in your community simply for being “the female one”.
• The freedom to make mistakes or say stupid things without worrying about it getting added to the pile of “why women suck at computer stuff”.
• If you’re married, having people take you to lunch without them speculating on how your spouse would feel about them taking you to lunch.
• Having interests that are stereotypical for your gender without having to worry you’ll be taken less seriously because of it.
• Having interests that are unstereotypical for your gender and getting seen as cool and progressive rather than freaky and asexual for it.
• Not having to choose between dressing/acting stereotypically for your gender and being thought unprofessional (or not a Real Geek) for it, and dressing/acting un-stereotypically and being thought unseemly.
• The freedom to switch to a less technical career without feeling like you’re betraying the cause of gender equality.

That last one floored me. I actually said that one out loud in a performance review last year. I knew that my heart wasn’t in development, but I felt this insane desire to keep doing something I didn’t enjoy because I wanted there to be some girls doing it. I wish my male friends in IT would read through that list and realize just how good they have it.