I’m not sure if I should be dismayed that sexism is so prevalent in computing, or happy that it’s at least out in the open. I didn’t get the internship I interviewed for this week.1
Two days ago I interviewed for an Open Source internship at a branch of one of the largest tech companies on the planet. I got to hear, “prove you’re a programmer.” Unsurprisingly, my male roommate didn’t get asked that when he went to interview today.
Just so we’re clear, it’s discrimination if you ask a question to only a subset of applicants. No, there are no bullshit gray areas on this. This is the policy description held at that company.
So, what do I do? Or, more useful, what can people that find themselves in a similar situation do?
I have several advantages in that I knew most of the other interviewees. It’s really hard to know a question is only being asked of you if you’re the only interview session that you know about.
But what else?
Well, I’ve endeared myself to people that have a whole hell of a lot more influence than I do. My boss/mentor? Yeah, she and many of the faculty at my university were former employees of that company, going into academia upon retirement. She can easily get an audience with anyone there and get results out of someone.
I found and told my boss/mentor immediately to talk about this unfathomable question posed to me. And she agreed that it could have been phrased better. And stated that it could or could not be sexist, and that we’ll wait and see.
Yeah, not getting the position upset me. It sounded like a really good fit to me and my skills. But, no, I don’t want the job. First, why the hell would I want to work with some sexist asshole? Second, because it would be punishing someone (the intern chosen) who hasn’t done anything wrong.
So, what happens now? Most likely I’ll get an apology from someone I’ve never heard of and have no beef with.
I can’t afford to sue for discrimination.
This company can’t be blacklisted as female-hating.
It’s a stalemate. One that I think happens a lot more than people talk about.
I think I know why boss/mentor was scared of what would happen if I applied to her former company. I don’t exactly fit.
1 I was promised an email that would confirm I had the internship, or a rejection with feedback. Yeah, I didn’t get either. I got to hear it from my roommate that heard it from the person who did get it.
Tags: discrimination, Feminism, programming
