So I have this wicked cool soapbox. I am non-traditional. Period. I am a woman in a nontraditional role. I am a Woman in Technology.
Being a woman in IT, there are a lot of challenges that I know I face. Sometimes I forget that I’m (on average) paid a fraction of my male counterparts. I never forget when I’m talked to like a four year old because I’m ‘only’ the DBA or because I’m only a woman (no, it’s not usually voiced that I’m only a woman but there are times when I have said the same thing that I know is wrong with an issue ten times and been ‘poo-pooed’ because that can’t be wrong and then one man voice’s the same thing I’ve said ten times and… well, let’s try it and see if that fixes it… and THEN I’m told when I point out that I pointed it out ten times to not find fault but to just get past it and move forward).
Being a woman in technology is sometimes a very delicate balancing act.
The next three days (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) I’m attending (and presenting at) the Great Lakes Oracle Conference (GLOC 17). I’m listening to presentations on APEX (programming… I miss programming sometimes) and enjoying my third cup of coffee.
Looking around there are 90% plus or minus men and MAYBE 10% women in today’s session. About standard. Kind of depressing but about standard.
So what is the “up” side?
Everyone in the room is drinking the provided beverages (OJ, water, tea, coffee). Break times are occurring at roughly every hour to 90 minutes.
there are lines for the bathrooms.
Usually (concerts, the circus, the ballet) the line for the women’s bathroom is going to be significantly longer than the one for the men’s room. 400 people at the conference… 40 of them women… 360 of them men? Yeah, there is going to be a longer wait time for the men’s room
I finally figured out the bright side to being in the notable minority!
Love and Light
April Wells
05/16/17
A Figment Of Fitness 
Well, it is a rather simple fact that male plumbing is a bit more efficient than female. (Part of the reason for the “potty parity” laws in places like NYC).
I do have to say, I don’t think I’ve ever felt that I was “just” the DBA.
I will also point out that it has occurred to me, if one of your goals in college is to meet women, studying engineering is probably not the best choice…
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I don’t think of myself as “just” the DBA, I’ve been told that I am just the DBA… and I’ve been told at various times that we, as DBAs are there to serve not to advise or lead.
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