Jesper Antonsson
Aug 9, 2017 · 2 min read

Mary-Ann, details matter. When you start off with “Contrary to your belief that the lack of women in tech is due to biology, I was actually biologically designed to be an engineer.”, you’re probably correct that you have the genes, given your family. You’re wrong that it’s contrary to his belief. His carefully worded text includes stuff like this “Many of these differences are small and there’s significant overlap between men and women, so you can’t say anything about an individual given these population level distributions” and he makes pretty clear that he doesn’t suggest what you say he does.

Then you write: “Now, you could easily argue that I am statistically not the norm. And you would be right. So here’s a brief lesson in statistics:”

This is womansplaining. There’s every indication to assume he knows the statistics, and part of his point obviously is that you’re statistically not the norm, and that some reasons for that statistics doesn’t have to, nor should, be fought.

“I won’t get into the multitude of studies that show that some of the assumptions you make about women are false”

Too wide brush there. As far as I can see, he’s firmly based in neuropsychological and other science. If you really feel he’s wrong, then please cite him exactly and provide links to research that says otherwise.

“So even on some planet far, far away where your assumptions are correct, you would still be alienating 32% of the population.”

Why is he alienating 32% of the population? By saying they’re a minority or by saying there are at least some reasons that are fine? Why would that be alienating?

“If individualism is one of your core values, then you of all people should be a champion for people like myself who are being actively discriminated against for being just that — an individual.”

There’s no indication he isn’t a champion for you and other discriminated people. I would guess he is. He took a stand at google against discrimination of men and of non-leftists knowing it could cost him his job, and it did. There’s no reason to think he wouldn’t do the same for you, if he saw you discriminated against.

“See, we are on the same page here — you just don’t know it yet.”

Or perhaps it’s you who don’t know it yet?

“Ostracizing people for expressing their opinions creates isolation — the opposite of inclusion.”

Very true. Google continue to choose this path.

    Jesper Antonsson

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