Entries Tagged 'webwomen' ↓

I went to the Perth launch of the IT Screen Goddess Calendar last night…

…and it was lots of fun. The controversy seems to have died down a bit, but hopefully the publicity and money generated will have a positive effect on the number of women entering IT careers in the coming years.

I see an interesting article this morning on Victoria’s Border Mail: IT babe gets TV interest. Apparently US television producers are interested in calendar cover model Sonja Breeze for a new show dealing with women in IT careers. Wow.

Truth time: I really just always wanted to use the word “brouhaha” in a post title. Cross item 487 off life’s todo list.

The IT Screen Goddess calendar, oh the controversy, and the proper web site hasn’t even launched! The Australian IT got an article in already, apparently there was a phone poll on yesterday morning’s Sunrise show, and of course bloggers have started talking about it already.

I wrote a post about my views on the glamour calendar topic yesterday (I am helping out with the web site) and that post is getting some comments, but it was only yesterday arvo as I was walking through Leederville to get to a meeting that I realised what my real issue was. I like being a geek. I don’t have a problem with the stereotype. I don’t think it’s negative (maybe the stereotype I’m thinking of isn’t the one other people think of) - geeks are smart people, and smart is sexy. So it kind of irks me to acknowledge that other people think there’s something wrong with that, and that movie star glamour is somehow better.

At any rate, I haven’t seen the full calendar and I do want to see what all the fuss is about for myself. And anything that promotes discussion of women and careers in IT and the web is A Good Thing. Bring it on!

Nothing like a bit of controversy…

I wasn’t going to comment until after the proper web site launched, but it’s been in the news now so I figure I might as well. The wonderful Sonja Bernhardt, who will be returning as a judge at the 2006 WA Web Awards, is behind the IT Screen Goddess calendar, an effort to break geeky stereotypes by showing 12 beautiful and intelligent IT professionals recreating classic movie screen goddess poses. Proceeds will be going to fund groups that promote IT careers to young women.

My good friend Megyn Carpenter, web coach extraordinare, is managing the web site project, and I’ve been helping out with the payment gateway and some SEO advice. Three Perth women are featured in the calendar - Megs herself, Kara O’Halloran and Nat Brunovs.

Not everyone is enthusiastic about the concept. Rosemary Lynch, a woman who I have the utmost respect and admiration for, posted Gender Mind Bender about how it seemed a strange idea to her, and wonders what the response would be if a man had suggested the calendar instead of a woman. I can definitely see her point. On the other hand, I do believe there’s something to be said for the idea of women “taking back” the idea of a pinup calendar, turning it into something positive rather than something negative.

My own issue with the project stems more from promotion of unhealthy body image. All the women in the calendar are absolutely gorgeous, and while they might argue that they are just ordinary people with the benefit of great lighting, make up and photography, at the end of the day it is a glamour shoot and they are there because they are beautiful. What is the message that is being sent to young girls with a poor body image - that those who are successful in the IT industry are as stunning as movie stars as well as brainy? While it may help girls who have a negative view of the IT industry, is it putting up a mental barrier for girls who don’t feel they have “all that”? Are we trying to replace one harmful stereotype with another?

It’s a hard question. I don’t know the answer. I do commend Sonja and everyone involved in the project for getting out there and doing something positive, and I also commend people like Rosemary for stirring the pot and getting some discussion going.

Maybe Rose, the next Perth Web Women Wednesday should involve jelly wrestling - pro-calendar vs anti-calendar