It seems like just about once a month or so, some article about women in IT comes up on Slashdot. I usually read them, figuring they may be somewhat relevant.

However, a couple of things about this article bothered me, although it took me awhile to figure out why.

The gist of the article seems to be that many women leave the IT profession because of issues with work/life balance, specifically around parenting. Much of the advice given is about how to balance children and a career.

In her early years as an IT professional, Monique McKeon found that work/life balance was a struggle. Two of her early employers — a large software firm and a Big 6 consultancy — were somewhat unclear on the concept. At the consultancy, her travel schedule kept her out of town more than she was comfortable with. Then, when her first child was born, the bottom fell out.

First off, shouldn’t this then be “Making IT Work for Parents”, or even “Making IT Work for People With a Life”? Why point the finger at women in particular, as if only women have family responsibilities?

My theory about that one is that women are just the biggest and most visible group of “non-stereotypical” IT workers. But using “women” as a shorthand for “people with lives and responsibilities” creates two problems.

I. It’s not just women.
This article creates the impression that these problems are specific to women, which ignores men who are dealing with the same issues of balancing family and work.

II. It’s not all women.
The article seems to imply that “woman” is synonymous with “mother” and that all women need some kind of special accommodations that men don’t require. That perception could actually penalize women (like me) who don’t want kids and are more career-minded.

I feel like there’s a tricky line here to walk. On the one hand, parenting is obviously important, and I have nothing but respect for anyone who choses to become a parent. And I strongly believe that workplaces should not penalize anyone for doing so. I believe that IT (and every other field) should be made to work for people with real lives. (Fortunately, the place I work right now seems pretty good about that.)

On the other hand, those of us women who are not parents, and who do have different priorities, shouldn’t have to face reduced opportunities.

I’m just starting to get really burnt on these “Why There Are Never Any Women in IT Anywhere Ever” type of articles. I feel like the intention is good, but the execution often just contributes to harmful stereotypes.