Monday Musings #1 - "How many programming languages do you know?"
Welcome to the first edition of Monday Musings: a random collection of thoughts, musings and ideas.
“So how many programming languages do you know?”
Let me set the scene: I’m at a networking event at an art gallery. In small clusters, local business owners are sharing what they do and pitching their ideas. I’ve just had a nice chat with the organiser, and after hearing I work with software engineers, waves over and introduces someone I should talk to: “He’s a software engineer.”
The conversation starts simple enough, but within seconds of me explaining that I went from being an engineer to a manager to a consultant, it turns into a back-and-forth of me having to prove my technical experience.
“So how many programming languages do you know?”
“If I asked you to build [cue something specific], would you be able to?”
“Rails is so old school. Nobody uses that anymore.”
With every question, I felt myself getting more defensive. Why couldn’t my experience just be recognised for what it is? Why the need for 20 questions to prove I’m wrong?
The sad thing:
This was only a few weeks ago.
Since switching to freelance work, I have started going to more events: more lunches, meet-ups, and conferences. It’s surprising how often I get questioned about what I do, where assumptions and judgments get made about my technical experience. Where there’s disbelief that I can’t possibly know what I know.
And I know I’m not the only one.
So many brilliant women I’ve talked to this year have experienced similar situations. That’s in part why I started the Tech Ladies Dinner Roundtable: to create a space where we can have conversations about these topics, share how we’re dealing with them, and meet others without being questioned about whether we belong there. We can collectively share our tiredness and frustration and respond with a shared WTF.
Each year International Women's Day comes along and each year I feel more and more jaded. Are things actually changing?
Some days it doesn’t feel like it. Some days, you’re just surrounded by annoying questions. Some days, you hear about another initiative being cut or funding being pulled. Some days, you wonder whether there’s a role for you outside of tech.
But then I’m reminded of the good days:
The days when I’m surrounded by amazing women who are all brilliant in their own ways. The days when I get to hear about inspiring stories and funny anecdotes. The days when I get to celebrate someone’s promotion or new job. The days when I know that I’m not alone in this.
Change is happening. In small, tiny steps. With every conversation. With every assumption turned on its head. With every answer to an annoying question.
So I’ll keep having conversations. I’ll keep showing up to events dressed as I want, as who I am. I’ll keep challenging assumptions. I’ll keep creating the spaces to have those discussions.
And for now? I’ll keep answering those annoying questions.
See you next time,
Melinda
