[hackerspaces] Women in Makerspaces

[Danyelle Davis]

On Thu, Jan 17, 2013 at 8:43 AM, Melissa Hall <melissa.hall at gmail.com>wrote:

> My experience with community groups is that, in general, those who support
> leaders who proclaim their leadership have fewer women.  Groups where
> leadership is something that is affirmed by members of the group tend to
> have more women.  I have theories as to why but no data.  I just know that
> for me it is FAR easier to accept a nomination than to nominate myself.


Some woman are not outspoken.  They take a waiting stance instead of a
leading stance.  So it is natural to hope that someone will say " hey I
want Danyelle as a leader because.."  I find the geek culture, hacker
culture, whatever culture is a very " you need to be stand up and do it"
kinda culture and not wait to see if it happens culture.  Yes guys will get
excited that a woman shows up to a space because it is something that is
rare. It happens... The type of woman who come to the space and stay are
out spoken, very up front and in your face type women.  I tend to jump
right in when I want something done.  I am not the leader type ( mainly
cause of laziness and I kinda hate drawing attention to myself) so I only
take charge when I want something done and back out when I could care less.
 Most maker/hackerspaces I have been apart of I have had to leave for
reasons like the recent one.. getting pregnant with twins.  I have always
been in a "male dominated" society because I am just that type of woman who
like thinks that are more appealing to guys.  I have been a fire fighter,
EMT, I sailed for awhile.  So being around a guys is nothing new to me.  I
personally hate it when I walk up to a group of guys and they are talking
about something and they go quiet cause a "lady is present" feel awkward
and break up and no longer have their discussion.  Makes me feel like I
just ruined a completely good convo.

As for the chick who left a space because she got a bunch of requests on
OKcupid.  To leave is kinda silly.. I mean OKcupid is to look for a date
right?  If I walked into a hackerspace as a single person and didn't seem
like the sister of the chick from the movie Misery.. I would have a bunch
of requests in my inbox on that site as well.

If there are women (or anyone) looking at this post and want to join a
hackerspace but feel like they aren't welcomed or too shy.  Here are a few
ways to make yourself at home. Website of the space.  Does it offer
something that would interest you?  Contact the person who runs that group
and let them know you are looking to join but are not familiar with
hacker/makerspaces.  USUALLY that person will help you out or find someone
in that particular group that can assist you.
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