Women, Work and Computing by Ruth Woodfield; Unlocking the Clubhouse: Women in Computing by Jane Margolis and Allan Fisher

Those who would suggest the possibility of a more genderless universe through new uses of computers argue that the screen allows us to renegotiate old relationships, permitting and encouraging rethinking about our bodies, gender identification, space, time, and historic social inequalities in ways that can have an enduring effect on individuals and society. Focusing on the employees of an international company, the author uses interviews (and the resultant observations) of male and female employees to test this argument. Not only is the company considered a leader in its field, but it is known for an official ideology of being a "people company," where promotion is based on a meritocracy with a worker's gender considered irrelevant. [Ruth Woodfield] illustrates that the use of computers to disrupt and reconfigure gender in space and time seems to be very limited; in fact playing on the computer seems to be a key factor in the perpetuation of existing modes -- in the reproduction of men as masculine men, and as supposedly superior computer experts. While the idea of engaging in disembodied communication was initially appealing to many, most also were worried that others would make use of this opportunity and not reveal their "real" identity -- including their "real" gender; the respondents did not want to be duped. Further, while fantasy/gaming may be fun, Wood field found no evidence that individuals actually change their beliefs about gender divisions or about their own gender identities when participating in computer games. Gender bending online does not seem to move people closer to wishing for, or helping, establish a genderless universe. The research investigation that informs the analyses offered by [Jane Margolis] -- a social scientist -- and [Fisher] -- former associate dean in computer science -- in Unlocking the Clubhouse began in 1995 at the Carnegie Mellon School of Computer Science, a highly ranked program. The authors conducted multiple interviews with 51 female and 46 male computer science undergraduates, as well as interviews with non-majors and faculty members. The interviews revealed the erosion of confidence women (more than men) experienced, as well as some of the institutional factors that contributed to their lowered self-confidence. Tracking the students over the semesters showed that problems with curriculum and teaching hurt all students, but female students more so than male students. Other issues highlighted in the study: the fau