Calling All Female Hackers

[xor]

I once took an aerobics class and ended up being the only guy there, (In a Barry White voice) it was alright.

So what is it like for our female counter parts as well as our gay men. Is Defcon like Man Fest, is it like "it's raining men alleluia". Being surrounded by so much testosterone do you want to vomit, or just rip your clothes off, or vomit and rip your clothes off?

Just curious.

xor

[sintax_error]

Re: Calling All Female Hackers

By the smell of some of the testosterone this year I would imagine it's the former.

[nivin]

Re: Calling All Female Hackers

I'm not really a hacker, so much as a hardware apprentice learning it from the ground up. It seemed like there were more females there than last year actually. The best thing about it is the bathrooms are totally empty for us. It's fantastic and completely opposite from most events where the line for the ladies room is twenty times longer. I spent most of my time in the HHV, so perhaps I didn't get a balanced feel of the whole event, but it really didn't seem to make a difference that I was a girl.

[Rhenium]

Re: Calling All Female Hackers

IMHO I would say it is a mixed bag...

Pros

* No bathroom line.
* Surrounded by interesting guys.

Cons
* The "boy in the basement" smell can be overpowering at times.
* Being "accidently" pressed up against while in line, in an elevator, in... etc, gets tired.

In general though it didn't seem to make that much of a difference.

[melicious]

Re: Calling All Female Hackers

Neither actually.. Although it was a bit intimidating on Thursday. There were a few times when I was caught up in the body crush (halls) and couldn't see another women at all; that was a bit weird. I got a few confused looks but overall, the guys I interacted with were great. This was the first year I built up the nerve to go. I had read a few things about Defcon not being too hospitable to female attendees. At least in my experience, it was wrong. People were really polite and there were more women than I expected, which was awesome. All and all, I had a great time and will be back next year. I'm shocked at how well organized the whole thing was.

[violet]

Re: Calling All Female Hackers

I had an easier time this year than previous years because I was engaged this year, so the fiance came with me. He found it VERY amusing to walk 10 feet behind me and watch how many people turned around to stare at me as I walked by. Talk about embarrassing... Remind me to wear a longer skirt next year.

I got accidentally brushed by, pushed up against walls in elevators, etc, etc, like always. Not all that much different than walking around town, so I'm used to that. Dressing up in my cybergoth/cyberpunk gear for the balls was an experience I'll never forget, but again, it was more tame this year than any other. Crediting it to my fiance, of course!

My poor female friend (who is GORGEOUS) got her cute little butt mobbed. She's just starting out in the computer world - but the poor thing couldn't get so much as "MAC address" out before someone interrupted her to tell her how beautiful she was, ask if she was single, or if she really was here for Defcon or if her boyfriend brought her. She got very frustrated by the last day. But, she'll be better prepared next year.

All in all, I won't lie. DefCon is GREAT for letting my inner attention whore go wild.

[idolon]

Re: Calling All Female Hackers

It never bugged me. I grew up in the punk/skater scene then hung out with gamers and computer geeks through college (and the rest of my life), so I have a thick skin and just shrug off any unwanted attention and wander away. One thing that I found really odd was guys asking me to sleep with other guys. "You see that guy over there? You'd make his day if you took him back to your hotel room." It happened 3 times and just seemed a bit absurd.

The fact that there are no lines for the ladies rooms is awesome. I bragged to all my girlfriends about that when I got home.

[barry99705]

Re: Calling All Female Hackers

I had an easier time this year than previous years because I was engaged this year, so the fiance came with me. He found it VERY amusing to walk 10 feet behind me and watch how many people turned around to stare at me as I walked by. Talk about embarrassing... Remind me to wear a longer skirt next year.


All in all, I won't lie. DefCon is GREAT for letting my inner attention whore go wild.

If you're the long haired blond chick with the ungodly short skirt, did he tell you about the dude that walked into one of the pillars by the shwag booth? That was some funny shit. I'm actually surprised at the amount of females that did show. I'm guessing about twice as many on average that showed at shmoocon.

[violet]

Re: Calling All Female Hackers

If you're the long haired blond chick with the ungodly short skirt, did he tell you about the dude that walked into one of the pillars by the shwag booth? That was some funny shit. I'm actually surprised at the amount of females that did show. I'm guessing about twice as many on average that showed at shmoocon.

That wasn't me - I was actually fairly indiscriminate this year. Long black hair, glasses, so pale I glow - with an ungodly short skirt; and my friend was a black girl with reddish hair and an ungodly short skirt. HOWEVER - I was over by the shwag booth when that happened! Oh god, we were laughing so hard I almost cracked a rib. I wish I'd had a camera.

I really like this "ungodly short skirt" term. Consider yourself ganked, my friend!

[barry99705]

Re: Calling All Female Hackers

I really like this "ungodly short skirt" term. Consider yourself ganked, my friend!

No problem!

[Skylark]

Re: Calling All Female Hackers

This was my first Defcon, and while I agree about the bathroom thing, I somehow managed to miss all the other stuff. I don't think I got hit on once the entire con, although I did make a few new interesting acquaintances! Then again, it might have been the lack of an ungodly short skirt and the addition of pants.

I also have to say that I was surprised by the number of girls; I especially didn't expect girls to be traveling in small groups, of which there were a few. There were enough girls, in fact, that I never felt completely surrounded by guys or anything.

[Ne0nRa1n]

Re: Calling All Female Hackers

I must admit that I don't really think about it much these days. I used to think about it in the beginning a lot when I started coming to the conference. I'd feel really lonely because of the lack of girls to talk to, but I guess after 11 years you just develop a thick skin and it all just seems to be business as usual. It also helps that there seems to be a lot more girls then there used to be.

As well, my experience of the conference has changed though the years. These days, I spend most of my time worrying about how I am going to make it through giving my speech without having a panic attack and falling off the stage and onto my head. Between that and being suckered into gooning, before I know it the conference had ended and I have no idea what's just happened, let alone having enough time to sort out what I think about it all. ;)

[LocalChaos]

Re: Calling All Female Hackers

in my opinion there need to be more females at the defcon conventions. the more the better :)

[Lowie]

Re: Calling All Female Hackers

I Being surrounded by so much testosterone do you want to vomit, or just rip your clothes off, or vomit and rip your clothes off?

Just curious.

xor

I wasn't there, but surely stereotype answers the question for you?

[Abby_Normal]

Re: Calling All Female Hackers

I've never really had a problem, but most people got to know me online long before meeting me in person.

I'm used to being in a boys club, having been working in IT in one way or another most of my adult life, I'm thick skinned.

I have noticed that most of the women I know from the hacker/defcon world tend to be cooler than "normal" chicks. They tend to be smarter, more interesting and less catty. It's nice to be around like minded women.