Guess what? This is Sexist.

This morning started out FANFREAKINGTASTIC. I actually got up at 6 and made it out to the lake to train for an upcoming half-marathon by 6:30 a.m. I walked 8 miles at a really good pace for me, the weather was absolutely beautiful, picked up my usual Starbucks, and assumed this was going to be a great Monday. With a day starting like this, how could it go bad?

Then I signed on to my computer and therefore the Internet to start my usual day of work. I logged into TweetDeck to check out the day’s gaming news, and I saw I received a message from someone asking me to fill out a survey regarding women in tech journalism. I was floored. Someone is asking ME about what it’s like to be a woman in tech journalism? How exciting! Does this mean that I’ve made it or I’ve gotten close to making it? Holy cow this is amazing! I can’t wait to fill it out and make my contribution.

Then I opened the link and found the following survey of 5 questions:

So wait, this is all I have to contribute to the world of women in tech? This person doesn’t want to know about what I’ve contributed, the positive things I’ve seen with women in tech, what I want to contribute, or what changes I’d like to see in the future? Nothing thought-provoking? You just want to know if I’ve ever been harassed.

For starters, this assumes that as I am a woman in tech journalism, that means I’ve been harassed. Seriously, what else could I possibly contribute to the world of tech? I guess I’ve been wasting my life with not being harassed.

Secondly, this survey assumes that I’m a delicate flower who has had to hide due to harassment. I can’t take care of myself and I don’t know how to stand up for myself, so therefore, I must need to adopt a pen name or change my writing style to flee from the big evil people in the intertubes. Just because a few women have reported such things does not mean that ALL women have experienced this, for fuck’s sake.

Also, is this my sole worth to tech journalism, what is or is not between my legs? I simple exist in tech journalism to be, to quote a great friend of mine, “fodder in an argument”?

Hey guess what? Assuming that just because I’m a woman in this industry I’ve been harassed is SEXIST. Did you send this same survey to any men? I bet not. Assuming that I cower in the corner over supposed harassment is SEXIST. Assuming that talking about abuse of women in the tech industry is all that needs to be discussed for women in tech is also SEXIST.

What’s worse is that this survey was obviously framed as feminist. All I see is misandry or sexism with a feminist shield. I am all about equality between men and women in this industry and any industry for that matter, but do not assume

• that all women have been harassed;
• that certain loudmouth misandrists speak for me on behalf of feminism; or
• that I can’t fend for myself in the case of said harassment.

I cannot believe the gall of such loaded and leading questions. I want no part of this portion of the feminist movement. If I have to stand and scream about harassment to get noticed, then count me out of the tech industry and feminism entirely.

For the record, I have never been harassed. I suppose according to this survey, I must not be a woman, not be hot, or not be loud enough for such a thing to happen. Obviously it happens so much they HAD to send this survey out to prove it.