Revenge of the Nerdette

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  • Posted By: mikaleno @ 06/15/2008 1:47:47 AM

    Meet the Nerd Girls: they're smart, they're techie, they're hot, they're unbearable!

  • Posted By: CraigC762 @ 06/13/2008 10:39:34 AM

    4 years undergrad, 3 years grad school, 3 years working, I have seen TWO, yes TWO women engineers that would be considered attractive by non-engineer standards.

    Most of the rest were very natural, somewhat plain-looking, girl-next-door types. I imagine that if they paid attention to their appearance, they could look really good.

    Nerds, male or female, look ugly because we don't give a damn how we look. It's just not important to us.

    • Posted By: Igloo0609 @ 06/15/2008 12:38:25 AM

      Well, it takes a lot of energy to look "hot", trust me, I try everyday, but with my mind on my work, it is hard to be cute and very competitive in my field (engineering Prof).

  • Posted By: mrw650 @ 06/15/2008 12:08:44 AM

    Great comment about the glasses. Does this mean I, too, can wear my black horn-rimmed eyeglasses without impunity? LOL

    http://delawarewomen.tripod.com

  • Posted By: Tifton MD @ 06/14/2008 10:40:06 PM

    Interesting article--I am a general pediatrician who has been in practice now for twenty years, and it has become more interesting over the years to ask my patients what they wanted to do when they grew up. Increasingly, it has been the girls who are set on pursuing a "learned profession" (such as law, medicine or dentistry) or some other career requiring extended post-secondary education. The boys, on the other hand, seem more interested in NASCAR or professional sports, if they have any plans at all. It is wonderful that girls and young women have such aspirations, but it is disheartening that progressively fewer boys and young men can say the same. Perhaps young males in our society lack the strong role models that would sustain them in the demanding courses of study required. We need the best brains possible to deal with today's challenges, no matter what their gender, and find ways to encourage them.

    As far as intelligence and physical attractiveness are concerned--There is an old saying that 95% of sex appeal occurs above the level of the shoulders. Hallelujah, amen.

  • Posted By: Aili @ 06/14/2008 10:35:10 PM

    Great article. But may I add: it's not only in science and technology that this has been a problem, and continues to be.

    During my undergraduate studies in Philosophy, I was typically the only girl in the class, or one of two to three. Often males in these classes would naturally assume that I needed help--all the while unaware that I set the curve on the last exam.

    Now I work in the book selling world, which is also male-dominated. I have had to start wearing glasses whenever I am at work because--and I have tested this extensively--I get less condescending looks and amused reactions from people (especially males 40 and older) when I have glasses on.

    I have developed a fierce attitude because of these kinds of circumstances, and it is entirely in keeping with this article. Let's try to encourage this trend, shall we?

  • Posted By: Aili @ 06/14/2008 10:34:59 PM

    Great article. But may I add: it's not only in science and technology that this has been a problem, and continues to be.

    During my undergraduate studies in Philosophy, I was typically the only girl in the class, or one of two to three. Often males in these classes would naturally assume that I needed help--all the while unaware that I set the curve on the last exam.

    Now I work in the book selling world, which is also male-dominated. I have had to start wearing glasses whenever I am at work because--and I have tested this extensively--I get less condescending looks and amused reactions from people (especially males 40 and older) when I have glasses on.

    I have developed a fierce attitude because of these kinds of circumstances, and it is entirely in keeping with this article. Let's try to encourage this trend, shall we?

  • Posted By: ShannyL @ 06/14/2008 10:30:58 PM

    I'm a 30 something year old computer engineer. While I was never harrassed and only encouraged in college and my first job, I felt the need to "fit in." So I supressed my girly side. Now I run my own software consulting business. I dress professionally, but in a way that makes me happy. I have my nails painted, my hair down and my heels polished. I like to wear bright colors and makeup. If anything, I've had a great response to this. The business women that I work with can relate to me better than a male nerd. Some tech guys give me crap for about ten seconds until the realize I know what I am talking about. It's a brave new world and I'm glad young women today don't feel the same pressures we tech women felt 15 years ago. You go girl!

  • Posted By: one male @ 06/14/2008 9:57:28 PM

    I would like to present a challenge to the nerd girls. My work includes the decoding of the chaldean oracles and other such estoteric texts. The results - http://www.web3.ez1020.com

  • Posted By: mrw650 @ 06/14/2008 9:35:26 PM

    I've been a "Geeky Nerdy Girl" for 30 years. About time we get some recognition. Most of the recognition we've always got has been of the negative variety--we're ugly, unstylish, square, etc. My husband says quite the contrary--geek women know how to do practically everything, and we teach our children to do the same.

    I remember I attended a high-tech computer convention about 20 years ago. There were only a handful of women attending. I got into an animated conversation with another female Geek and the guy behind us said (in admiring tones) -- "there's aren't a lot of women in computers, but the ones that are, are brilliant." That acknowledgment has stayed with me ever since.

    For all you high-school level geeky girls out there--my message to you is--don't give up on yourself. The empty-headed, Barbie-body fashion plate gossips may make fun of you or shun you now, but one day you'll be the one laughing all the way to the bank--and those mean chicks will be the ones begging YOU for a job!

  • Posted By: follow_your_heart @ 06/14/2008 9:14:40 PM

    I'm proud of these young women. Too many people are mis-interpreting this article. Women are pushed towards more traditionally feminine occupations. My sister is a model in LA and is an electrical engineer in her third year at USC. I am a doctoral student in Texas and am studying brain development and correlations between language and science and mathematics. I was second place Miss New Mexico two years ago and was Miss America Teen Washington six years ago. Women are not afraid to show they are smart anymore. Oh and by the way, guy nerds are so cute and little hotties. I met my fiance in a class and he plays WOW and Magic the Gathering.

  • Posted By: follow_your_heart @ 06/14/2008 9:13:59 PM

    I'm proud of these young women. Too many people are mis-interpreting this article. Women are pushed towards more traditionally feminine occupations. My sister is a model in LA and is an electrical engineer in her third year at USC. I am a doctoral student in Texas and am studying brain development and correlations between language and science and mathematics. I was second place Miss New Mexico two years ago and was Miss America Teen Washington six years ago. Women are not afraid to show they are smart anymore. Oh and by the way, guy nerds are so cute and little hotties. I met my fiance in a class and he plays WOW and Magic the Gathering.

  • Posted By: LechoZX @ 06/14/2008 5:43:50 PM

    Your grandmother sounds like an exceptional person in the sense of superior, and very rare. The truth is, I went to engineering school, and it was 85% male. Most of my classes had no women in them and no women professors. It is not new for women to be intelligent I agree, but it is changing the perception of career roles and this article is specific to engineering and tech fields. It is a very good thing, but it is something that is changing so therefore newsworthy.

    msc, don't you think that these girls are attractive, or would you rather have a pretty little thing that doesn't talk? You seem to be the one who is spewing hate so get a life.

    • Posted By: Melvina @ 06/14/2008 8:51:51 PM

      LechoZX, I feel your opinion that the subject of this article is newsworthy is debatable. The writers of the article, and the video which accompanies it, are not simply stating that the fields of science, math and technology are not fields traditionally pursued by women; they are saying that they are fields that are not traditionally pursued by "hot" women. The extreme, overarching emphasis of the entire article is that these women are very attractive and feminine....oh, and happen to be pursuing fields that are traditionally not only male-dominated, but also have only been pursued by "unattractive" and "unfeminine" women in the past. Why else would the article bother to mention the woman who still feels she needs to carry a copy of her computer science degree in her purse at all times?

  • Posted By: mikaleno @ 06/14/2008 8:43:09 PM

    Why is it when a woman is a nerd she's smart, cool and sexy. When it's a guy the same label's don't apply. I'm sick of this sexist crap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Posted By: mikaleno @ 06/14/2008 8:41:04 PM

    Why is it when a woman is a nerd she's smart, sexy and cool. When it's a guy the same label's don't apply. I'm sick and tired of this sexist crap!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Posted By: crlanei @ 06/14/2008 8:24:18 PM

    As a female geek I don't really see this as being something new and awesome. Women and men should feel that they can pursue any career regardless of their gender, this article just makes me feel like we're talking about tech barbie, ie too much emphasis on how these women are staying girls in a male industry.

  • Posted By: greatgooglymugly @ 06/14/2008 8:18:31 PM

    I have the utmost respect for any female or male for that matter willing to break barriers enforced by stereotypes and comfortability of conformity. The best thing our culture has going for it is progress in compassion, wether it be of a person, or a way of life. The support people are showing in comments to the artickle and the article itself are a prime example of this. It really put a smile on my face to read this.

  • Posted By: misschinagirl @ 06/14/2008 7:39:19 PM

    "Forty years ago women made up just 3 percent of science and engineering jobs; now they make up about 20 percent. That sounds promising, until you consider that women earn 56 percent of the degrees in those fields"

    If tomorrow women started earning 100% of all degrees in a field where before they had none, it would take about 20 years to reach parity with men in terms of the number of positions that they had in the field (assuming that the field was not growing but instead merely was replacing existing jobs). Thus, we should not be surprised that women do not have as many jobs as men nor should it be considered an issue. The issue is that women leave the field -- but to what extent do MEN leave the field? That's the real unanswered question that would go a lot further in helping us to understand trends.

  • Posted By: gforceforever @ 06/14/2008 6:51:56 PM

    As much as I appreciate intelligence, I cannot help but be offended by the fact that, for starters, our culture stills sees women as less intelligent than men.

    Secondly, I do not appreciate the fact that this article refers to grown women as "girls". They are not prepubescent teens; they are mature females who have attended college, and who have committed their lives to research and application. Glossing over these facts makes them appear to be some "lucky chicks" who happen to have escaped the genetic predisposition for baby-making and bleaching their hair.

  • Posted By: gforceforever @ 06/14/2008 6:51:18 PM

    As much as I appreciate intelligence, I cannot help but be offended by the fact that, for starters, our culture stills sees women as less intelligent than men.

    Secondly, I do not appreciate the fact that this article refers to grown women as "girls". They are not prepubescent teens; they are mature females who have attended college, and who have committed their lives to research and application. Glossing over these facts makes them appear to be some "lucky chicks" who happen to have escaped the genetic predisposition for baby-making and bleaching their hair.

  • Posted By: IMANNY @ 06/14/2008 6:07:54 PM

    WELL! MY HOMY/BEST FRIEND MICHAEL, TOLD ME BACK IN 2001: "BROTHER MANNY! YOU
    TAKE ONE OF THEM GEEKY, NERDY SCHOOL GIRLS AND LET THEM TAKE THEIR HAIR DOWN
    AND TAKE-OFF THEIR GLASSES, AND THEY LOOK FINE LIKE A MOTHER******!! HE WAS NOT
    KIDDING ME! I'VE DATED SOME FINE GEEKY, NERDY WOMEN, CAUSE THEY ARE THE ONES MOST
    MEN REFUSE TO ASK OUT ON DATES, GET INTO RELATIONSHIPS WITH, AND SO ON! THEY ARE
    JUST AS FREAKY AS THEM HOOCHIE-MAMAS!! TRUST ME! EVEN MORE! I SUGGEST TO ALL YOU
    GENTLEMEN OUT THERE: GET YOURSELF A GEEKY GIRL! THEY WILL LOVE YOU!! XOXO. MANNY.

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