back to article Calm down, dear: Woman claims sexism in tech journalism

In yet another baseless attack on tech journalism, a woman has complained about supposed sexism in the field. Holly Brockwell – editor of Gadgette, a virulently pro-woman and so therefore anti-man tech website – has written a blog post claiming to give insights into "what it's really like to be a female tech journalist." She …

  1. SkippyBing

    I really just keep coming back here to look for outraged comments from people who don't get satire, do get it but don't think this was it, think this was it but done poorly, generally enjoy jumping on the outrage bus etc. etc.

    I think I mean satire. I might mean something else but it's Friday...

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Wow, I forgot it was Friday! I love the Easter weekend. Played games all day with Friends, had a leg of lamb delivered for the weekend feast, gonna be a lot of Lamb eaten next week I think.

      1. Randolf McKinley
        Thumb Up

        Lamb. MMMMmmmmmmmm. You might be able to beat some meat but you can't beat meat that once went "Baaaaaaa".

    2. Mark 85
      Pint

      @SkippyBing

      Have one for being spot on. I got it and I'm American which I guess means I'm not supposed to get it...

      Anyway... happy Friday.

    3. Alan J. Wylie

      Poe's Law

      I think I mean satire

      No-one has yet mentioned this:

      Poe's Law

      Poe's law is an Internet adage which states that, without a clear indicator of the author's intent, parodies of extreme views will be mistaken by some readers or viewers for sincere expressions of the parodied views

      1. yoganmahew

        Re: Poe's Law

        Ah, thanks, I thought it was another AI chatbot...

      2. macjules

        Re: Poe's Law

        Damn, I thought it was something along the lines of 'ensure bunny is back in the box'

    4. MyffyW Silver badge

      I get this is satire. But it's neither entertaining, nor enlightening, and it doesn't have enough double entendre for my taste.

      compulsive liars for a Corbyn victory. Or are we?

      1. msknight

        I'm with MyffyW. Satire, but only just. And for my money, it didn't really go anywhere, make a point or entertain.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          @msknight

          "I'm with MyffyW. Satire, but only just. And for my money, it didn't really go anywhere, make a point or entertain."

          Ditto. For my money it was pretty clear from the start that it wasn't meant straight (#), but that's because it came across as an intentional troll article (##)- to the point I was planning on suggesting they should replace the headline/thumbnail image with the ubiquitous trollface.

          Reading on, it started to get fuzzier. It made me think, but mainly about what level the article was supposed to be taken on and- what (if any) point was being made. In other words, more about the author than any issues that might have been raised by the story itself.

          Sorry, but if this was satire, then it didn't quite come off.

          (#) Though that was partly because I read it here. Whatever you think of The Register and its contributors' views, I still couldn't see them printing an article like this "straight", whereas- as the aforementioned Poe's law implies- there are places out there you could see people posting stuff like this in all sincerity.

          (##) In the original sense, obviously, not the mass media's dumbed-down misuse of the term as a synonym for "online bullying".

          1. This post has been deleted by its author

    5. Purple-Stater

      The article is an excellent example of how sarcasm/satire doesn't translate well into print.

      1. Colin Millar

        @Purple-Stater

        Yeah - that Jonathan Swift - what did he know?

  2. Someone Else Silver badge
    WTF?

    One thing leads to another...or not

    Kieran opines:

    Holly Brockwell – editor of Gadgette, a virulently pro-woman and so therefore anti-man tech website – [...]

    Please explain, Mr. Male Tech Journalist, how being a pro-woman ... or even a virulently pro-woman ... anything immediately and automatically implies that that same anything must therefore be anti-man.

    I'll hang up and wait for my answer....

    Did Rush write your copy for this?

    1. diodesign (Written by Reg staff) Silver badge

      Re: One thing leads to another...or not

      See the first comment.

      C.

    2. kierenmccarthy

      Call back

      I think maybe should you read the whole thing, wipe the spittle from your cheeks, have a cup of tea and wait for a dawning realization. Then we'll talk.

      1. Roq D. Kasba

        Re: Call back

        Kieren is a girl's name.

        1. bri

          Re: Call back (@ Roq D. Kasba)

          No, he's a bloke.

          Anyway, it's written perfectly in order for people to actually read it through without implied 'agenda filters' and think about the issue. Well done.

        2. Shane McCarrick

          Re: Call back

          Its a traditional Irish guys name- though the way its spelt here is a new one by me.

          1. Dave 126 Silver badge

            Re: Call back

            Eeek! Please everyone, make sure that Someone Else doesn't see this 'news' story:

            http://www.theonion.com/article/no-one-in-womens-shelter-able-to-cook-decent-meal-5799

          2. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: Call back

            Could be an Ellis Island special :P

    3. Marshalltown

      Re: One thing leads to another...or not

      Well, but obviously, Kieren assumed that being virulently "pro" something will be accompanied by an equal and opposite "anti" attitude which makes perfect sense, because without that balancing force, she would walking with a list. Of course she COULD just be generally negative about everything else, but a focal negative is probably easier to manage. Personally I've always regarded it as an antimale bias when you can't get secret inside information because there's nothing you can flash them that wouldn't get you punched out. Of course from a geek the punch would not be very impressive, but still that's pretty negative.

    4. Sixtysix

      Re: One thing leads to another...or not

      Obvious troll is....

      1. Roq D. Kasba

        Re: One thing leads to another...or not

        Yes, of course Keiren is a bloke's name. You people are so fucking literal at times.

  3. lnLog
    WTF?

    eh?

    Is this an attempt at special humour? or have you been taking the trump pills? What is your point, and why make it here?

    1. werdsmith Silver badge

      Re: eh?

      It's a mischievous use of a phallus to poke a hornets nest.

      1. Dave 126 Silver badge

        Re: eh?

        You misspelt 'masochistic' as 'mischievous'. Has your auto-correct got its undergarments in a twist?

        1. Preston Munchensonton
          Pint

          Re: eh?

          You misspelt 'masochistic' as 'mischievous'. Has your auto-correct got its undergarments in a twist?

          About as much as you gotten sand in your vagina. Geez. Lighten up, mate.

        2. PNGuinn
          Mushroom

          Re: eh?

          Hmmmm ... I think MY spelling might have gone a little awry if I'd tried that ..... undergarments or not ......

          This might feel less painful >>

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: eh?

        Phallucy?

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I do believe....

    ....that it is a bit late for Holy Brockwell. The cutting edge of indignant moral outrage appears to be garlanded around Peter Tatchell's neck, as the self-obsessed LGBT movement fights itself to death over the issue of precisely which flavour of LGBT minority is the most discriminated against.

    Complaining that you're a hard done by woman doesn't even come close to cutting it, particularly when PT finds himself insufficiently discriminated against for being white and gay. A cynic might conclude that bot Ms Brockwell and Mr Tatchell should stop whingeing and adopt a new interest. What about a BDSM fetish? Would that cut it, or is there some homo-erotic element that is essential?

    1. Fruit and Nutcase Silver badge

      Re: I do believe....

      @AC

      as the self-obsessed LGBT movement fights itself to death over the issue of precisely which flavour of LGBT minority is the most discriminated against.

      May have got it right first time with the order of the letters "LGBT".

    2. jonathanb Silver badge

      Re: I do believe....

      The problem here is that the "T" community faces a lot more discrimination and transphobia from the LBG community than from the general population. The "L" and "G" communities also hate the "B" community and the "L" and "G" communities don't like each other very much either.

      1. Hollerithevo

        Re: I do believe....

        I am guessing you are speaking from the outside of all these communities.

        This is only a 'community' because the 'deviant' sexualities have been lumped together under one heading and generally find common cause, just as all those with mental and physical disabilities get lumped into the 'disabled' group, and so on. All these 'diversity' groups mean 'them wot is not male, white and straight', so we have Black and Asian, Women, Disabled, Gay' etc. But being not white, male and straight does not make you a group with equal concerns and needs.

        For example, being an L in LGBT, I see the others are mostly about men, while I am in the group that is totally not about men. So why, aside from fellow-feeling and a dislike of discrimination everywhere, would I take on gay male or Trans issues?

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    glass half FULL

    it could be a compliment?

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I liked this one

    A wonderful mashup of the stuff you see on some of the comments boards, and resisted the temptation to go for the easiest targets like Gamergate. But the people most in need of understanding it won't get it.

    The funny thing is, there is a definite overlap of these people with fundamentalist evangelicals, Islamists and Hassidic Jews. I once had one of them tell me, in all seriousness, that it was my job to be the "Biblical head of the household". Kirche, Kinde, Kuche. But all four groups hate the other three.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: I liked this one

      > Kirche, Kinde, Kuche. But all four groups hate the other three.

      The other four. Remember, there is more than one faction of any given group.

      Sincerely yours,

      The Judean People's Front

      1. billse10

        Re: I liked this one

        "Sincerely yours,

        The Judean People's Front"

        Splitter ....

      2. MyffyW Silver badge

        Uxbridge English Dictionary Malapropisms

        Kirche - well who doesn't like cherry brandy?

        Kinder - Not so fond of the chocolate, but a plastic toy is always well received.

        Kuche - No dear, it's an Aga.

        I do think you missed the fourth one - Karcher - a now forgotten High German word for pressure washer.

        Got to rush, need to get the Children and the Cakes to Evensong.

  7. Herby

    You know "gullible" isn't in the dictionary

    Or so I'm told.

    Do we need to hold up a sign "sarcasm" to tell people that it is? (as was done on _The Big Bang Theory_). Some people can find fault in anything.

  8. BugabooSue
    Happy

    I get it. Really I do,

    But dude, calm down. ;)

    As a woman in what is still a predominantly male field of work (IT), I get all sorts of crap dealt out to me by my more masculine counterparts on occasion. I could argue the toss about whether that was right or wrong until hell freezes over, but when the situation is reversed - males working in a predominantly female-staffed field of employment, similar shit happens. I wish it didn't sometimes, but it is a fact of life. As a species, I doubt if we will ever completely solve the tribalism and misogyny that blights us, but by keeping a lid on some of the more outspoken bipartisan craziness with respect to these issues, we might be able to eventually reduce it to a less emotional level of conflict.

    In that light, I will probably attract downvotes from some folk on here for saying that Holly should stop using such emotionally-charged language in order to further 'her cause'. Same goes for you Kieran. Pack it in!

    It's this constant sniping back and forth that does no good, whether it is between the 'sexes,' or religion, or whatever - it's a waste of human effort. We need to *talk* to each other, rationally. We must stop in-fighting if we are ever going to get off this miserable ball of mud.

    People! Learn to talk, not bleat and throw tantrums! Compromise!

    On another note, after numerous years in the military dealing with assholes of all sexes and genders, I could not give a flying fudge what others say about me, "As a woman." I do my job. I do it bloody well. Say what you like about me, but if I find out you are paying me less than the man in the same office for doing the same job - I'll feed you your nuts - after I've lightly sautéed them in front of you of course. :)

    Seriously, I just wish this shit would stop. Enough already!!

    Susi xx

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: I get it. Really I do,

      Yes, yes, yes !

      Glad I am not the only one who has had enough of the whining.

      1. TeeCee Gold badge
        Facepalm

        Re: I get it. Really I do,

        The problem here is that you can be very well paid for whining. It's called "compensation" and it's the root cause of most of what's wrong with the world....

        When searching for why something's fucked up, look for where the lawyers got involved. The problem will be there.

        1. LionelB Silver badge

          Re: I get it. Really I do,

          The problem here is that you can be very well paid for whining. It's called "compensation" and it's the root cause of most of what's wrong with the world....

          cf. First World Problems

    2. Notas Badoff
      IT Angle

      Re: I get it. Really I do,

      There's this word - 'respect'. All the CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md files popping up on Github won't fix anything unless people require respect from each other.

      And that was always possible. 20 years ago the company almost fired a guy because he was altering interview test questions ad-hoc and mostly after seeing women interviewees. He had a problem with women, so the company had a problem with him!

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: I get it. Really I do,

        > There's this word - 'respect'. All the CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md files popping up on Github won't fix anything

        On the contrary, they ones I've seen (and they're all copypasta) make things worse...

        > unless people require respect from each other.

        ...for exactly this reason. They just fail to acknowledge that other points of view may exist and be just as respectable, and that it is actions not words that matter.

        Case in point, some sad idiot (I do not use that word lightly) on the Node.js IRC channels who runs a bot that intercepts any references to God, guys and the like so she can come and scold people. Things go like:

        someone: "Thank you for your help, God bless you!"

        otherperson: "Cheers!" (whether I believe in God or not, I figure a blessing can't hurt)

        bigot: "Hey someone, please do not bring up religion here, not everyone is a believer" (so fucking what? Some people are. Live and let live)

        someone: "Hello guys!"

        bigot: "We're not all guys here, you know?" Guess what, the dictionary defines 'guys' as "people of either sex". It might have been childish but I started mocking her by greeting the chatroom with "Hello guys and the YY-chromosomed amongst you!" (for the ones who slept through biology class, in humans the YY chromosome pair is not viable).

        1. Natasha Live

          Re: I get it. Really I do,

          I use 'guys' to mean gender non-specific at work. My line is that unless for some reason I'm trying to get you into bed (not likely after 21 years with the same women... they are pickled in a jar dontyeahknow), then gender is not a factor. It's just a phrase to apply to many.

          Kind of like when I are on the phone to a call centre and I say "you have made a mistake" and they respond "I did not" and I have to explain the "You" in question is plural and is the company not the person and as the represent the company they represent that "You".

    3. kierenmccarthy

      Sort of my point

      The raging, angry, non-sensical style is sort of the point.

      It takes the aggressive over-reaction to articles that highlight a serious issue of sexism and tries to flip it on its head.

      I agree with you in part about people just getting on with their lives and jobs. But in this case the reporter wrote an excellent piece in which she outlined several things that were genuinely shocking - certainly beyond what should be accepted as just people being people.

      So, while I agree with your sentiment - the constant raging that occurs in place of real conversations - in this case, I decided mockery, rather than outrage or earnest hand-wringing, was the way to go. Plus, you know, it's Friday.

    4. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: I get it. Really I do,

      Is is an example of 'girlsplaining'?

    5. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: I get it. Really I do,

      > We need to *talk* to each other, rationally.

      In relation to this, there are so many examples I can offer.

      Once I worked with this Indonesian bloke who turned out to be virulently anti-semitic. I asked him if he'd ever met a Jewish person before and he said "no", so I replied "Well, now you have" (in fact there was two of us at the workplace, a Muslim country btw). He really liked me and he really liked his boss, a Swedish guy who, like me, could speak Hebrew. To this day we stay in touch and consider each other good friends.

      Once I was with a Polish friend of mine who was utterly shocked at seeing two men kiss each other outside a bar in Poland. I explained to him that they're probably a couple and that was a display of affection, as people do (although public displays of affection are not very common in Poland, generally speaking). It took him a few days but now this lad is perfectly comfortable mingling with male homosexuals. He also used to have a bit of a problem with immigrants, until I pointed out that I, one of his best mates and living there at the time, wasn't exactly Polish myself.

      I used to avoid ultra-conservative religious types like the plague, until I had to start talking to them while accompanying a friend of mine doing his PhD research. I came to realise that they can actually be just as tolerant, if not more, than many of us, as long as they don't feel threatened or seriously disrespected (just like the rest of us, what a surprise.) I found they even have a sense of humour and can take and dash out quite a bit of banter, sometimes quite off-colour for a supposedly fundamentalist type.

      There are probably a hundred more examples I could think of but the gist is there. If you find yourself in a dispute, talking to / acting towards the other person in a non-confrontational manner tends to be the most productive approach for everyone involved.

    6. Yag
      Pint

      Re: I get it. Really I do,

      "but if I find out you are paying me less than the man in the same office for doing the same job - I'll feed you your nuts"

      <joke>You seems to assume that the people who pays less for women than for men are all men themselves.</joke>

      Joke aside, have a beer!

      1. x 7

        Re: I get it. Really I do,

        "You seems to assume that the people who pays less for women than for men are all men themselves."

        I don't understand......I'm a bloke and I only pay for women, never men. Never fancied men.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: I get it. Really I do,

        > <joke>You seems to assume that the people who pays less for women than for men are all men themselves.</joke>

        That's not a joke

        A copper just pulled me over and said "papers?" I said "scissors!" and drove off.

        ↑↑↑ *That's* a joke. ↑↑↑

        1. x 7

          Re: I get it. Really I do,

          "A copper just pulled me over and said "papers?" I said "scissors!" and drove off."

          no - the copper was just asking if you could roll him a fag

      3. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: I get it. Really I do,

        "the people who pays less for women than for men are all men themselves" well, they'ŗe not, unless you work in a company with no HR dept ? :P

  9. David Roberts
    Unhappy

    Of course it was satire.......

    ......just not very good satire, sadly.

    1. PleebSmasher
      Dead Vulture

      nothing to see here

      This is just Kieren McCarthy's resignation letter.

    2. choleric
      Megaphone

      Re: Of course it was satire.......

      ".... just not very good satire, sadly."

      You should read Kieren's comment above. And then ponder why you don't think it's good satire. And then realise that at least one of the sharp ends of the piece is poking you.

      I say that having gone through a similar thought process myself.

      Tone is difficult to convey in typed text, and Kieren does a great job of exploiting that limitation here. The way the article's style conflicts with the content is devastating and invites the reader to reevaluate their own assumptions and ways of expressing things.

      1. Cari

        @choleric - Re: Of course it was satire.......

        I'd venture it's not satire at all. It's a heavy-handed, snarky article, whose only purpose is to give the author a false sense of security about being safe from the attentions of people like himself and you, and is as subtle as a gold brick to the head.

        It does nothing to help the subject of the article (not that she needs it, given she has her own platform and audience), and only serves to insult the commenters and divide the community here.

        And as a woman, like BugabooSue I'm tired of this incessant need to divide us all, in the name "fixing" the inequalities present in our society.

        I've had more than my share of actual misogyny. Being constantly preached to as if I and other women don't actually exist in these online spaces is bloody infuriating.

        Even more infuriating is being constantly reminded of the plight of poor, middle-class, white women on the Internet, as if mean words from strangers is the only thing now holding all women back, and then seeing women who really do have it bad getting shafted by the same people preaching equality because they don't toe the line.

        It's also disgusting to see my male family, friends and fellow community members being repeatedly crapped on, belittled, shamed and treated as subhuman, as if they're even remotely close to the pieces of shit that actually do hate women. They're not, not by a long shot. In fact, they're the only reason I don't fear - let alone hate - men after the shit I've been through.

        "Tone is difficult to convey in text"

        No, it's really not.

        People have managed to convey tone textually, in many languages, for millennia. You're not enlightened or superior to the rest of us for noticing the blatant attempts to shame and manipulate the weak-minded and guilt-ridden present in this article.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: @choleric - Of course it was satire.......

          > "Tone is difficult to convey in text"

          > No, it's really not.

          Errm... yes it is, by virtue of the narrower channel as opposed to other forms of communication such as speech and speech supplemented by gestures.

          Think of an ASCII art picture of a town, a high resolution picture of same, video, video with sound, and actually being there (seeing, hearing, smelling, touching, tasting).

          For example, is this response of mine angry, condescending, friendly, or neutral? Can you tell?

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: @choleric - Of course it was satire.......

            Tone can be carried in text.

            I give you Dickens, Wilde, Heller and a bunch of others.

            That some people aren't good at it, I grant you that.

          2. Cari

            Re: @AC - Of course it was satire.......

            "For example, is this response of mine angry, condescending, friendly, or neutral? Can you tell?"

            It's passive-aggressive.

            Your post is not directly angry in the slightest. You've used no words or phrases to indicate anger. That doesn't mean you weren't thinking "who's this arsehole?" or somesuch when responding, but your post doesn't particularly give that away.

            "Errm... yes it is" coupled with the assertion that follows makes your response a touch condescending, but you're trying not to be obviously condescending since you've used "..." and put an extra 'r' in "erm" - these soften the tone of your first sentence, making it a less forceful opening to your rebuttal than a direct "Yes it is" or even an "Erm, yes it is" would be.

            The rhythm of your sentences, lack of strong words, and the short and simple thought exercise to back up your assertion gives the meat of your post a neutral tone. You're being polite, but not actually friendly.

            Then you end your post with a redundant "Can you tell?".

            Since you've already asked me what the tone of your post is in the preceding sentence, this last sentence comes across as a challenge, and condescending.

            You've sandwiched a polite and neutrally worded rebuttal between a mildly condescending opener and a strongly condescending finisher, making your post overall come across as passive-aggressive.

            If you intended to convey actual anger at all, then dropping the "Errm..." and throwing in some harsher language would have done the job - you don't even need to swear! And a single smiley can go a long way to conveying a friendly tone, as do lighthearted jokes, and commonly used informal speech and slang.

            -----

            There being a narrower channel is an explanation for why some people do find it difficult to convey or infer tone from text, but it's not something that makes "tone is difficult to convey in text" a fact.

            Nor does it mean the author's condescending smugfest, dressed in a cheap "satirical" négligée, was the work of literary genius some commenters are making it out to be.

            I'd say it's easier to convey and infer tone in text if one has spent a long time socialising through a text-based medium. And of course, the obvious insult to the audience in this article is easy to miss if one is already convinced they're part of the congregation.

            1. Ole Juul

              Re: @AC - Of course it was satire.......

              "There being a narrower channel is an explanation for why some people do find it difficult to convey or infer tone from text, but it's not something that makes "tone is difficult to convey in text" a fact."

              This really deserves some more upvotes. Why is it that some people who are less accomplished at these forms of communication complain about the use by those who are accomplished? I have difficulty understanding French, but I don't complain about other people using it.

              1. Anonymous Coward
                Anonymous Coward

                Re: @AC - Of course it was satire.......

                > Why is it that some people who are less accomplished at these forms of communication complain about the use by those who are accomplished?

                Can you post an example of that? Seems you got the wrong end of the stick there.

                1. Ole Juul

                  Re: @AC - Of course it was satire.......

                  "Seems you got the wrong end of the stick there."

                  wat? I'm responding to the post directly above me.

                  I'm suggesting to those who are complaining about sarcasm that it would be a good idea to not comment on something they admittedly don't understand - the above article notwithstanding.

            2. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: @AC - Of course it was satire.......

              > It's passive-aggressive.

              Fail. Which is a shame, because the rest of your analysis was actually quite good, including of course the accusations of condescension. I did not put a smiley in there on purpose, as I do not consider that "text-based communication", being a traditionalist in that respect and regardless of what the Unicode people's thoughts are in the matter (☺).

              However, I do strongly reject the passive-aggressive label. Perhaps you were expecting to find an element of negativity because of the often confrontational nature of many internet forums and forum-like media such as this comments section? That would certainly be a reasonable expectation, which is what prompted me (same AC as before, hello there) to try that little exercise.

              > There being a narrower channel is an explanation for why some people do find it difficult to convey or infer tone from text, but it's not something that makes "tone is difficult to convey in text" a fact.

              I submit that if at least "some people do find it difficult", and if we are willing to accept that on the other hand it comes naturally to convey tone in face-to-face communication (excepting autism and certain other conditions), then it must follow that "tone is difficult to convey in text". You also say that it is easier with practice (paraphrasing). Again, the idea that practice is needed would seem to suggest that there is a degree of difficulty in the action involved. Maybe it's me, but I haven't seen many people practising their anger, joy, or other emotions in front of the mirror.

              This is not to say that McCarthy's piece is an example of good writing, though I'm certainly not qualified to judge, but it does appear to have had the desired effect and it has sparked an interesting and mostly civil debate, so he deserves credit for that I should think.

      2. John Deeb

        Re: Of course it was satire.......

        Choleric " then ponder why you don't think it's good satire. "

        Nah, it's just simply bad satire trying to imply it's something "more" than that and that you somehow might have "missed something" when just thinking that. The author had a dim realization perhaps of how bad it was and preempted the responses by making it all even more ambiguous sounding: hidden non-existing depths or even more layers of humor or criticism beyond the clumsy reader's grasp! A move that would be in itself satirical of feminine psychology but naturally it's impossible to establish if this was actually the case here. Ad infinitum....

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Kieran's a girl right ?

    ... because they're not very good at comedy.

    ( Yes, this was also bad satire. )

    1. Cari

      Re: Kieran's a girl right ?

      Virtue-signalling male "feminists" are also not very good at comedy. It's okay to say that though, 'cause they're male so it's not sexist :^)

      1. LionelB Silver badge

        Re: Kieran's a girl right ?

        Virtue-signalling male "feminists" are also not very good at comedy. It's okay to say that though, 'cause they're male so it's not sexist :^)

        So if you're male and sympathetic to feminism you should just shut up and let male misogynists monopolise the agenda? What does that achieve, apart from reinforcing the perception that all males are misogynists?

  11. theOtherJT Silver badge

    With all due respect to the first comment...

    ... that had a really weird tone. Like, just weird.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: With all due respect to the first comment...

      Like, almost, [i][b]wierd[/b][/i]

  12. adminspotting

    What happened to the New Year's resolution?

    "As an older and wiser publication, we've also come to realise that some of our more adolescent behaviours are starting to look a little inappropriate. Expect [...] a recognition that attempted self-aware hopefully ironic sexism is almost always indistinguishable from actual sexism"

    http://bofh.us/RegResolution/

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: What happened to the New Year's resolution?

      "almost" almost goes a long way

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I am absolutely appalled by articles likes this!! I just had to jump on and vent my spleen!

    Umm, what was it about? Only read the tag-line...

  14. Omar Smith
    Facepalm

    Woman claims sexism in tech journalism?

    "Why can’t I get sterilised in my 20s? Holly Brockwell"

    http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jan/28/why-wont-nhs-let-me-be-sterilised

    I don't know, don't want to know and couldn't care less. What I would like to know is, why do certain people have a compulsion to blast out on the Internet every detail of their tiresome banal life.

    ps: How to get yogurt stains off yer monitor, try Windowlene or Windex as it's known now.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Woman claims sexism in tech journalism?

      > How to get yogurt stains off yer monitor, try Windowlene or Windex as it's known now.

      Why would you want to get them out? I wear my yøugöúrtĥ¹ stains with pride.

      Plus I'm more of a Linuxene type of person really.

      ¹ Excuse me while I learn how to spell that word.

  15. Cari

    Ad revenue drying up is it?

    The time to milk this woman for clicks would have been when she was signalling to the indie clique racketeers the existence of a ~problematic~ game (which was apparently popular with teenage girls). I mean, that's aside from the dubious "journalistic" practise of sensationalist reporting that does nothing for online harassment victims, save make the target on their back even bigger.

    1. Dave 126 Silver badge

      Re: Ad revenue drying up is it?

      Hard to call. I'd never heard of Gadgette before today. I quick look and it seems on a par with Gizmondo or Engadget or whatever. Even saw a gadget that I'd not seen elsewhere that I might find useful.

      It was disappointing to see the some 'Trending topics' ads at the bottom (y'know, the ones "You wouldn't believe...' and '10 celebrities who came back from the dead sea thinner' etc.) However, that is far more to do with the state of online journalism (AdBlocker et al killing revenue, content confused with advertising) than it is to do with feminist issues specifically.

      If the creation of a tech site for women is an admission that women might use some tech differently, then naturally tech vendors might send her different kit to review. The trouble is, there are some assholes on the internet (and they make a lot of noise), and if I as a man were to make an observation like "Women are more likely to carry a bag to work and the pub, therefore they might feel differently about the size of smartphone they use since a jeans pocket isn't always a limiting factor" my observation might be dismissed as sexist. Probably by a lunatic fringe, though. I'm pretty sure that nutters (and psychos, self-promoters, opportunists etc) can be of either sex.

  16. Captain DaFt

    Sexism? Satire?

    All I'm seeing here is some idiot engaging in juvenile behaviour, and someone else trying to inflate said action into a major kerfuffle instead of appropriately shaming him.

  17. cantankerous swineherd

    I'm getting old, can't follow half the stuff I see on the net.

    <shuffles off mumbling to self />

  18. TheProf
    Unhappy

    I'm sick and tired of this sexist behaviour

    I held the door open for a young woman the other day. You won't believe what she did next: she said 'thank you.' Right out of the blue. I never been so shocked.

    Another woman, a complete stranger, smiled at me. I shudder to think what kind of depraved thoughts were going though her mind. There should be a law or something. This sort of thing shouldn't happen these days.

    The woman at a supermarket check-out explained to me, womansplained I should say, that the money-off coupon she'd given me with my change needed to be used in the next two weeks. I'm not a child, I can read. I have keys and everything.

    This is everydaysexism.com right?

    (Oh, I'm male (you guessed huh?) and the incidents above really happened!)

  19. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    authority vs liberty

    People often portray these 'social justice' warriors as coming from the left, but they are nothing of the sort. They are right wing authoritarians (regressive liberals also works) who seek to shut up and shut down anything which they don't agree with or they find, hold your breath, 'offensive.' You are either on the side of freedom of speech, freedom of association or you are on the side of censorship and force. In an open society, sometimes people will say things or do things you don't necessarily agree with.

    1. Cari

      Re: authority vs liberty

      Spot on.

      "regressive left" works for those that actually are left wing in everything else they do though. This crap is present across the entire political spectrum.

    2. JeffyPoooh
      Pint

      Re: authority vs liberty

      AC" "...'social justice' warriors as coming from the left, but they are nothing of the sort. They are right wing authoritarians..."

      The political spectrum makes much more sense once you zoom out and can see that it's curved into a circle.

      The extremist nutters coming from the extreme left and the extremist nutters coming from the extreme right merge and are perfectly indistinguishable on the far side of the circle. They ragingly overlap in the same frothing puddle of angry spittle. Not even a tiny quanta of difference between them.

      Through this larger view, revealing the additional axis of moderation-to-extremism, an improved worldview emerges. It's a much more informative model.

      1. billse10

        Re: authority vs liberty

        "The extremist nutters coming from the extreme left and the extremist nutters coming from the extreme right merge and are perfectly indistinguishable on the far side of the circle. "

        Sometimes they get their foreign ministers to sign Pacts, too ....

    3. Old Handle

      Re: authority vs liberty

      Authoritarian, absolutely, but I'm not sure where you get "right wing" from. Both wings have their authoritarian streak (communism ring a bell?). And it's frustrating as hell sometimes. While I lean towards the left on most social issues, but I think liberty is the more important goal overall, but it often seems like people are too caught up in the left/right fight to even think about it.

  20. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I didn't understand sh*t.

    Hopefully that was the intention.

  21. Mark 85

    I think she's one of those who need a "safe space" because you know, words are hurtful.

  22. anonymous boring coward Silver badge

    It was like Vicky Pollard, on a higher level.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Yeah, but no but, your like been totally homophobic against girls

  23. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    As a male IT guy, I'm sick of the rampant sexism I am subjected to: emails offering to enhance my manhood (I'd love to know who's blabbing around about that - I like to think I'm "perky"), wanting to talk dirty to me for money (because I'm male, I have to pay?), and on and on.

    Thank God for a selfless Nigerian Prince - we have a deal in the works that should allow me to soon leave all this nonsense behind.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      "Thank God for a selfless Nigerian Prince "

      I saw him first, bitch! Back off!

  24. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I don't give a damn to the politically-correct feminist thought/speech police

    I want competent people in tech. Don't care about the gender. If women are under-represented in some occupations, that's none of our business

  25. Fruit and Nutcase Silver badge
    Mushroom

    Has she got a profile on peeple?

    http://forthepeeple.com/

    Whilst a user has full control over the ratings that are posted about them on peeple, she can look at it as harassment and harasses the women who launched the service until they take it down.

    1. JeffyPoooh
      Pint

      Re: Has she got a profile on peeple?

      F&N "http://forthepeeple.com/"

      I read that as 'Forth e-Peeple', perhaps on-line workers specializing in Forth programming.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Has she got a profile on peeple?

        I read that as 'Forth e-Peeple', perhaps on-line workers specializing in Forth programming.

        Nah, just tech-savvy Scots

  26. John Tserkezis

    "who hasn't at some point received a photo of their face covered in ejaculate?"

    Yeah, I know what you mean, I get emails like that all the time.

    Perhaps if I unsubscribed from all those porn sites I might get less.... Oh well, we'll never know...

    1. Cari

      There was a creeper on twitter who'd print of pictures of women, ejaculate onto them, then tweet a picture of the picture (...) to the women in question. You only hear about this sort of thing when it happens to the right kind of woman though.

    2. Old Handle

      I never have, but I assume that's because I don't have a twitter account.

      Well, to be honest I try to keep my face off the 'net entirely.

  27. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    You are all phallocrats

    And I am triggered.

    (Photo to follow.)

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: You are all phallocrats

      I am triggered by triggers.

      I thus demand a Vive to create a safe space. Otherwise patriarchy.

    2. Anonymous C0ward
      Trollface

      Re: You are all phallocrats

      s/igger/oll/

  28. Tim Worstal

    I have to admit that

    My career, such as it was, in tech journalism was entirely untroubled by ejaculate covered images of myself. Clearly no popularity at all among gay men or girls who gush.

    However, there is a bit that I don't understand here. We don't have to get entirely all Simon Baron Cohen here but the tech industry is rather heavy on the "nerd" sector of the population. Nerd having two slightly different meanings at times, one "interested in tech and engineering" and one "not all that good at social interaction". The bit I'm not getting being why is there all this vocality about the sector "tech and engineering" being full of people "not very good at social interaction"?

    It's rather one of those things that goes with the territory, isn't it? Like complaining that man sheds don't come with lace doilies, or that the graduate students in French Romance poetry don't seem to be very good at maths.

    Admittedly, I do get easily confused. I recall a very pretty young Randian Objectivist insisting that one of the joys of the philosophy was that it allowed her, nay encouraged her, to have decent sex when- and where- ever. OK, fine by me, but why did she get very pissed off when I made a pass at her?

    1. Cari

      Re: I have to admit that

      Have you ever found the complaints that essentially boil down to "nerdy fields are full of nerds, eww!" often have an anti-neuroatypical/AS bent to them?

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: I have to admit that

      > I recall a very pretty young Randian Objectivist insisting that one of the joys of the philosophy was that it allowed her, nay encouraged her, to have decent sex when- and where- ever. OK, fine by me, but why did she get very pissed off when I made a pass at her?

      What part of decent sex did you not understand, Mr Worstal?

      1. Tim Worstal

        Re: I have to admit that

        How would anyone know without trying it?

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: I have to admit that

          > How would anyone know without trying it?

          Beats me. They just seem to have a well tuned sort of sixth sense for that. Don't ask how I know. :-(

    3. Philip Lewis

      Re: I have to admit that

      I trust you are doing well Tim, the quality of discourse here hasn't been the same since you wandered off

  29. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Where's the rest of the women to tell this this crazy, privilege and respect demanding, feminist (redundant, I know) to shut the hell up?

    Another "I have a vagina thus you will put me in an altar and listen to my every word as they came from the Popess" is just another sample that contributes for me to avoid women in tech even more. Just in case.

    1. Dave 126 Silver badge

      I think it might be difference in approach... generally, women benefit more from encouragement than men, so a women's forum that was judgemental would soon be empty. It does mean that a forum where, at least initially, 'all opinions are equally valid' can appear daft to people who consider themselves objective and problem-solving, but it does encourage more people to participate. It does mean that more views are heard, and really you can't judge the merits or otherwise of an idea until you have heard it. This mottos is required, because it very common for people with good ideas to doubt themselves. As Bertrand Russell said: "Morons are cocksure, the intelligent are full of doubt".

      Yes, men can benefit from encouragement too, but in so much of our society (I don't care whether 'tis nature or nurture here) men compete with each other, or value the sentiment "I'm shown myself this can work, so bugger the lot the of 'em I'm gonna do it anyway!". Sometimes this attitude is seen in successful women, too. Sometimes when a woman has experienced sexism early in her career it shows them that some people are just idiots and not to take any notice of them, and to instead to trust their own judgement. It is this trusting of one's own judgement that is often necessary to trail blaze. A lot of scientific advance has been made by rejecting - or at least questioning - the orthodoxy.

      This competitive streak can also produce good results.

      Okay, I'm massively over-generalising here, but that is inevitable. As a male on the edge of the Aspy spectrum, I value objectivity. And the lumping of individual females together as women (either by men, or indeed by women) has always seemed an odd approach, when its easier to know individual people.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        When "it" happens to women it's sexism (thus men blaming). When the same things happens to men its just "how things are". Dunning-Kruger is not a justification to treasure each point of view and opinion. People, regardless of sex, are nasty. Nobody is entitled to be coddled and "nourished", whether they have a vagina or not, and for good reasons.

        Progress is made by unreasonable men.

  30. jake Silver badge

    @Kieren McCarthy

    Do you really hate the over-the-weekend ElReg moderation staff that much? What did they ever do to you? Inquiring minds & all that ;-)

  31. 2StrokeRider

    I needed this today. Nothing to smile about except waking up and then this...pure Reg satire in it's finest form! Well done!

  32. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    How widespread?

    Is this really "sexism in tech" or just a small bunch of people with mental health problems?

    Presumably women with a high profile on the net in any area get this kind of abuse from the same sickos?

    Back in the day, these perverts, along with those chavs that have their hands down their pants all the time, would have been stuck in an asylum out of the way of normal folk.

  33. EvanPyle

    Oh el reg, what happened to you?

    This site used to be great, now it's just storage ads and clickbait.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      > This site used to be great, now it's just storage ads and clickbait.

      You forgot DevOps

      (off to wash my mouth now)

  34. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Sexism

    Although the majority of the sarcasm in this article is spot on, it's undeniably hypocritical of Holly to complain about being labelled a "female tech journalist" while editing Gadgette, a self-confessed "online magazine for women".

    I have no doubts that chauvinism is still an issue in the tech world, and it doesn't excuse acts such as the aforementioned ejaculation incident, but she's clearly not innocent of perpetuating sexism in tech journalism.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Sexism

      Is not the name of the website itself, "Gadgette", a feminization of gadget, itself an affront to a feminist?

  35. Garry Perez

    Shame Really

    As she looks quite a babe

  36. martinusher Silver badge

    Not here ..... please.....

    At first glance this might be some kind of end of week recreational feature or maybe something that was supposed to be for April 1st that got out early. However, as a long time Guardian reader (I started back when it was the Manchester Guardian) I don't think its much of a joke because the online version of the paper is awash with this kind of article. They're typically written by ladies in the Millenial age group and they seem to be trying to tell us that sexism is the reason why they haven't got one of those Google type jobs where you earn six figure salaries for lounging around all days issuing tweets of wisdom. (We've all seen the Intern -- that's what programming's like, isn't it?)

    In real life I have accomplished female relatives, I've got a daughter who's an engineer, a pilot and apparently capable of doing anything and I've worked with, and for, many outstanding women. You still have places, people and cultures that aren't quite up to speed (Texas, for example) but in the real world you get judged on your merits - its about professionalism. (Also, unfortunately, a lot of work involves hacking away at the coal face without someone dropping by every five minutes to tell you how wonderful you are.)

  37. nsld

    I blame the internet and peoples ego's

    Part of the problem is that the internet has a far broader reach than people seem to grasp, and consequently, if you reach more people the chances are some of them will be the types inclined to crack one off over the monitor and send you a picture.

    Add into that the "look at me" approach to social media and its little wonder that this kind of thing happens. Twitter is a great example, its like a global Weatherspoons packed full of random inebriates just shouting into the ether, if you post something on twitter it will get some form of reaction, not all of which will be positive. If you don't want negative responses then its probably best not to put your issues in the public domain.

    Apparently Holly has been fighting the NHS for years to be sterilised and has now succeeded, I know this, not because I know her but because she tweeted about one of the many news articles about it. So having shared with world and dog that she wants the taxpayer to cough for her tubal ligation (£1500 according to the soaraway Sun) she then complained that people messaged her to try and change her mind or objected to the NHS spending this money on something that's non essential and not life threatening. I hate to break this to people but if you stick your stuff up on the interwebs you can't complain if people respond in a way that you don't like, after all, if you wandered down the street and told people random personal stuff you would probably end up getting sectioned!

  38. Dieter Haussmann

    Well I for one am off to make a very sticky protest to this female chauvinist chick.

  39. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Thankyou so much for giving Goatse-senders new ideas. My eyebleach shares had been falling.

  40. This post has been deleted by its author

  41. x 7

    Blondes

    now her website has the effrontery to claim that blondes aren't thick

    the review is at

    http://www.gadgette.com/2016/03/22/blonde-jokes-arent-just-insulting-theyre-scientifically-inaccurate/

    the actual paper is at

    http://www.accessecon.com/includes/CountdownloadPDF.aspx?PaperID=EB-15-00602

    Abstract

    "Discrimination based on appearance has serious economic consequences. Women with blonde hair are often considered beautiful, but dumb, which is a potentially harmful stereotype since many employers seek intelligent workers. Using the NLSY79, a large nationally representative survey tracking young baby boomers, this research analyzes the IQ of white women and men according to hair color. Blonde women have a higher mean IQ than women with brown, red and black hair. Blondes are more likely classified as geniuses and less likely to have extremely low IQ than women with other hair colors, suggesting the dumb blonde stereotype is a myth."

    what a load of BS. We all know blondes are stupid!

    1. Old Handle
      Boffin

      Re: Blondes

      Interesting way to slip a study on phenotype and intelligence under the radar without being called racist,

  42. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Educational video: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LS37SNYjg8w

  43. Mikel

    Got another pic?

    Can't quite make out her qualifications from the framing and/or angle of this one. /sigh off to GIS...

    Edit: here we go. http://www.shinyshiny.tv/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/IMG_20141222_120247_20141222120733010.jpg

    1. x 7

      Re: Got another pic?

      more pix here

      qualifications before surgery

      http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/03406/holly1_3406890b.jpg

      after surgery

      http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/03406/holly2_3406891b.jpg

  44. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Kieren?

    PMT?

  45. This post has been deleted by its author

    1. x 7

      "Great article, and as for the lady on the cover. I would. :)"

      is that before or after her brain reduction surgery? (see photos linked below)

  46. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Does anyone not know that the ladies actually think this way in the U.S and possibly in the YUK? There must be a government program where they round up a bunch of girls and tell them how brilliant they are and force business to hire them to not only write tech but also promote their tech inventions such as digital hair curlers.

    SARCNOTSARCSARCNOTSARCSARCNOTSARCSARCNOTSARCSARCNOTSARCSARCNOTSARC

  47. Old Handle
    FAIL

    No matter which way you spin it, it's the same tired old story. How about doing a balanced article next time.

  48. Carsten Holmskov

    Wow, I must say, after years of reading The Register, this gotta be the worst article, by far.

    Sure, I get it's satire and I don't take it as sexism, it's just incredibly poorly written, with lame, half-done jokes, vast exaggerations and neither the humor to be funny nor the sarcasm to be serious.

    Overall, what a disappointment from TheRegister, maybe insted of using very weak "satire" you should try to tackle the subject in a more real manner, or just leave it alone ?

    Meh

  49. John Deeb

    Holly Brockwell does not deserve such supportive satire.

    Holly Brockwell's rants do not appear entirely sane (welcome to the hu-man race!) but this is why:

    1. Founded "Gadgette, the UK’s biggest tech site for women"

    - and "always a female tech journalist". Hmm yeah, founded a tech site for women. Doh!

    2. Freely disseminate strong gender based opinions on Twitter

    - and "flypaper for male rage”. Hmm yes. Provoke - receive, upset, receive upset.

    3. Collect critical comments and turn them into postcard to advertise site

    - and receive harassing/abusive types of photographs. Wow! Magic!

    4. "women don’t care about sound quality, only whether headphones will mess up their hair'.

    - is actually what many women DO still worry about in life outside tech world.

    5. " countless press releases about pink gadgets and sex toys, not to mention childrenswear"

    - More to do with keywords and ranking. Run a few other successful websites and find out.

    6. "I get more requests to talk to the media about trolling and harassment than I do about technology"

    - Perhaps because it seems to be her favorite topic (stirring up more drama for business)?

    7. "You’re not asked to panels about tech, but panels about women in tech"

    - Because that's how she profiles her self, you know "tech site for women"?

    8, "There can be 50 guys in the room, and not one of them will say a word"

    - Probably because they have no idea why this one is making such a fuzz about that thing?

    9. "it perpetuates the idea that if you invite a woman to your tech event, she’ll start causing trouble."

    - What perpetuates that experience might be: "it always falls to me to call out sexism".

    10, "I’ve been blacklisted by brands for calling out their sexism. I’ve been accused of making it up"

    - It's not impossible businesses ignore those who seem a bit confused and dramatic on the issue

    11, "They’re not used to women in “their” field and they preferred it when it was just the men"

    - No, most men don't like the hysterical, imaginary, overblown drama SOME women seem to desire to spread wherever they go in search for dragons to slay.

    That all said, there are a lot of lame, sexual insecure males out there who say a lot of stupid immature things on inappropriate moments. It's just that the blog entry "What it’s Really Like to be a Female Tech Journalist" does not address this convincingly and tells us more about the issues of the woman who tries to call out these issues. That's the uphill battle in a nut shell.

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