Last week July 18th through the 20th was this years BlogHer Conference. According to the Blogher website their mission is:
To create opportunities for women who blog to pursue exposure, education, community, and economic empowerment.
To those organizers I challenge them to look in the mirror and realize that you’ve now become the same evil and sexist pigs you started out with the goal of overcoming.
So whats my gripe, that Blogher limits their conference speakers to only women. Don’t believe me go to any of the past speaker lists (link, link, link, link) and try to find a speaker who is a man, do an on page search for “his”, “him”, or ” he”, now try searching for “her” her’s” or “she”, and you’ll see what I mean. It’s not that I don’t think that women aren’t qualified to speak, nothing could be farther from the truth, but I do ask the following question, if you want to provide the best conference are only women qualified to speak.
Now Blogher doesn’t completely discourage against men attending, here’s a flickr set of the BlogHer men attendees, including people like Robert Scoble. However if you are a man and you want to attend BlogHer, you’re treated like second class citizen, only to be seen and not heard.
Do you think Blogher should only have women speakers, what if I told you I was organizing a conference and only men were speaking? The only way women can get in was to pay the full admission price, and go sit quietly in the audience. Have a few choice names you’d like to call me after reading that, then why is it OK for blog her to do the exact same thing, and you’re OK with that, or somehow find that empoering?
The most common argument I’ll get is what about the “mommy bloggers” or “work at home moms (WHAM)” and how Blogher has speakers that can speak on those topics better than men. To that I counter Mommy bloggers and work at home moms face the same issues as Daddy bloggers and work at home dads. We all struggle to find the work-life balance. We struggle to run a professional business and to be available to take client calls and go to meetings, but to also be home by 3:30 to pickup the kids after school, bring them to dance class, ballet class, religious instruction, swim class, birthday parties, play dates, do the food shopping and cook a dinner that’s healthy and everybody will eat, without going crazy. And yes I do the food shopping, and I cook dinner, even on the holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving. So those aren’t “mommy” issues those are parent issues.
The next common argument I hear is that women weren’t/aren’t taken seriously, or accepted as part of mainstream media/publishing. This is a common argument from groups that are minorities or perceive themselves as minorities. They feel that by creating a group of only their members they can “swing the pendulum in the other direction” and create some sense of balance. Nothing could be farther from the truth. What it really does is underline and accentuate the differences between the two groups, strengthening the divisive wall between them. For example do you want to be known as the “best woman tech blogger”? I wouldn’t … what that really says is I may be the best woman tech blogger but when you compare me to all the male tech bloggers I don’t make the cut. You should never strive to be the best woman lawyer, best woman doctor, or best woman blogger, you should striver to be the best doctor, lawyer, or blogger, regardless of your gender.
Still not convinced Blogher hasn’t become their own worst enemy? Have you ever been to conference where a panel was made up of all men? How about an entire conference where all of the speakers where only men? Awkward aren’t they? I’m not advocating putting a “token woman” on the panel, because that’s wrong on so many levels. What I am saying is there are just as many smart women as there are men, and both are equally qualified to speak, and conference organizers should strive for balanced representation among speakers, not a lopsided selection to make up for past injustices.
So how bout it Blogher conference organizers can you rise to the challenge and create something more than a modern “old boys network”? If the organizers of “Take Our Daughters to Work Day” can change to “Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day” you can too. Being a visionary leader takes the courage to admit when you make a mistake and take the steps to fix it …
Update
see more dicussion from the blogher blog Mars & Venus in the Boardroom
Related posts:
- Blogher 2009 Looking for Speakers Blogher an
- Blogher, Pro-Woman or Anti-Man? The follow
- Google Needs to Change It’s Conference Presentation Policy I learned
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Discrimination is empowering and should be encouraged, unless the group in question is both white and male.
On reading the first few paragraphs I felt that I was listening to a rant by someone who is bitter over some past event is his life. That was enough to put me off reading the rest of the drivel. I hope this blogger’s postings on his actual blog are a lot more entertaining, based on fact and not so filled with mindless rhetoric, otherwise the only visitors to the blog will have the same sad mindset.
Michael, if you don’t like the concept of the conference, it’s quite simple: don’t go, you won’t be missed!
What I am also struck by is Michael appears to be lacking a spell checker, and the grammar is appalling, the use of which I would have thought to be quite essential for a blogger?
Get a life, Michael, or at least a spell checker!
@Jenny: yeah Jenny you want to pick on my bad spelling and grammar go for it, I have no problem admitting they both suck.
However despite my bad spelling and grammar I’ve been on CNet and Forbes because I actually know what I’m talking about … so I’ll keep my life thank you very much
It’s about solidarity, not separatism.
And it’s a bit rich to judge discriminated groups for banding together and throwing their own party. We won’t let you in, but don’t you dare make your own space! Stay down! Because I said so!
“However if you are a man and you want to attend BlogHer, you’re treated like second class citizen, only to be seen and not heard.” I honestly can’t imagine why you’d think that unless you came and were a giant ass in person. All the men I saw at BlogHer seemed to be having a great time and were welcomed to participate in the same way as all attendees.
“…what if I told you I was organizing a conference and only men were speaking? The only way women can get in was to pay the full admission price, and go sit quietly in the audience.” That’s a joke, right? You’ve just described the actual situation in a lot of places! LOL BlogHer is one force that’s working to change that dynamic by giving women the opportunity to attend a conference and participate at all levels. From there, many women move on to participate in other spaces.
However, I also would like to make the point that many, many of the women who attend BlogHer couldn’t afford to attend many of the more traditional tech conferences. I remember looking into one and actually gasping when I saw how much it was, but I can’t remember now what it was for. That’s one really unique aspect of BlogHer – you get A LOT of attendees who have absolutely no professional conference experience whatsoever.
Personally, for me, I’m just now at the point where I’m considering attending other tech conferences. The cost is an issue for me, but also, I wonder if it’s even worth it for me right now as a personal blogger. If I can succeed and continue to grow in my own corner, perhaps I’ll give it another year with just BlogHer and my own corner of the blogosphere. Honestly, I want to save the time and money I’d spend at other conferences until I feel like I’m hitting a ceiling in my growth. I may be almost there; I’m considering attending BlogWorld if there’s a way to do it on the cheap.
This was the second BlogHer conference I attended, and I liked it a lot. My daughters came with me and liked it a lot too, particularly my oldest (Neopets blogger). It definitely is empowering and inspiring for women — and that’s exactly what I was hoping my daughters would get a good dose of. When I inquired last year with Elisa whether I could speak on an SEO panel, she informed me of the women-only speaker policy, but she was very nice about it and I certainly don’t feel wronged or unfairly-treated because of it. IMHO they are within their rights to set such a policy. It doesn’t bother me.
Mr. Graywolf..
lmao.. linkbait?
I’ve always wanted to speak at an naacp meeting to give a non-racist white person’s view, but i guess i’m the wrong color..
however I would be topical… just not anyone that shows the advancement of colored people, unless you count tan people.. as i do resemble that remark.
I would imagine if i was single, i’d probably hit up the BlogHer convention.. the female to male ratio would create a target rich environment..
If i was an advertiser, (whom i do represent from time to time at the ad agency/pr firm i work at), the BlogHer convention would be a great segmented niche, female computer users. I think as males infiltrate their organization this would become less and less preferrable. also.. i think it would be kinda funny if you added the BlogHer widget to your blog, because you aren’t… female..
also.. why would they pick you instead of someone like jane copeland, (Legal Issues for Blogging) AnnSmarty (SEO Tools) or heaven forbid that hagfish Jill Whalen, ok i know why i wouldn’t pick jill whalen.. but these BlogHer women might not know any better, she could tell them innaccurate things all day long if she chose to. so why would they want a man to speak when it’s a feminist love fest?
@lizriz: if you want to call out the other conferences that exclude women … please do … but to create a conference thats doing exactly the same thing they are … well two wrongs dont make right
Actually, the men at BlogHer that I interacted with were treated like rockstars. Everyone loved them and I dare say they got way more attention than many of the female bloggers that were there.
I was a bit surprised when I heard that men weren’t allowed on panels at BlogHer, but they were included everywhere else and there was a session that was specifically designed for them. Maybe that is not enough to placate you, but honestly, I see this as a niche-conference also and so I guess I can’t understand all the knicker-twisting about it. I wouldn’t expect to be on a panel at BlogHIM if there was ever such a thing. If I was barred from entry to the conference that would upset me, but I really don’t get into beefs with private organizations, religions, ect.that have regulations like this as long as there is not a perpetuation of hate going on.
Just my 2-cents.
“Michael, if you don’t like the concept of the conference, it’s quite simple: don’t go, you won’t be missed!”
Oh, well, I may go next year and put signs outside the building that read, “This bigoted conference hates Wolf Howl!”
Your conference now will forever be scarred by the fact that Wolf Howl and his supporters have exposed it for the discriminatory giant pig that it is.
I look forward to a keynote at the next SMX about how Blogher is setting civilization back hundreds of years.
@Snake on a Rake: again so you think that by creating a conference that’s biased the other way you are somehow compensating? two wrongs don’t make a right …
I didn’t say anything about creating a conference that’s biased the other way. I just said there could be a keynote about how much damage Blogher is doing to society. That doesn’t make the entire conference biased. The equivalent would be creating a conference where women aren’t allowed to speak.
Actually, I’d probably prefer to see a debate between a Blogher enthusiast and what I call a “reality embracer.” This “reality embracer” would understand that Blogher is setting back civilization and would attempt to convince the Blogher evangelist that Blogher needs to be reformed or eradicated. This debate could be the main event at SMX instead of a keynote.
You are describing BlogHer in a negative way, and I don’t think it’s warranted. I understand your frustration. The organization may appear sexist you you, a man, but BlogHer was not created to discriminate against men. It was founded to bring women bloggers to the forefront of this new media, that is/was predominantly ruled by men. Because the conference is aimed at addressing women’s issues, naturally most if not ALL speakers are women — who better to understand women but women themselves?
I’m positively certain that if and when a male speaker can share his expertise on women’s issues with the female blogosphere, he will be welcomed (with open arms!) to speak at BlogHer. Do you have any men you’d like to suggest as speakers, and if so, what topics or issues do they represent? I’d be more than happy to pass on your ideas to Lisa, Elisa and Jory.
When there’s equality for women in tech and every other field, we won’t need a BlogHer. I did notice men at the conference, though the only one I actually heard speak was in the Infertility/Loss/Adoption seminar I attended. He had a sensitive and thoughtful comment that was very well received. Apparently he didn’t feel like he couldn’t participate.
I am very grateful to the organizers for creating a place where women (and men) from all backgrounds can gather together to share what they are doing in a very welcoming and non-intimidating environment. I’m guessing there are not a whole lot of other conferences out there quite like this one!
I would feel differently about the policy of women only speakers if I thought men had no other places to speak, but in fact they do. Men have plenty.
Perhaps your desire to see men speak at a women’s blogging conference is much more about you need than it is about BlogHer’s alleged discrimination. Similarly, the example in one of the comments above about a non-racist white person speaking at an NAACP conference seems to be much more about what that non-racist white person wants or feels he/she needs than it is about the NAACP’s mission.
I was at the conference. Men were welcome, as you have heard above several times. But the point of the conference was to engage with and learn from other female bloggers. Hearing a man speak on his expertise just isn’t what we signed up for, and the men who attended gave us much food for thought with their contributions. Again, and no disrespect intended, I think this is more about your wants and needs than it is about the issue of discrimination.
@Lara: the issue remains business gets done at the conference, and being a speaker is an advantage to a consultant. With the no male speaking policy they are discriminating against men.
Women complain they aren’t treated fairly and equally at the workplace, yet given the opportunity they create they exact same situation. You can’t say it’s unfair when everyone else does it, but OK when you do.
But Michael, the conference isn’t just about work and business, and I disagree that it should be considered a “workplace”. If it were, I’d agree with you. If BlogHer didn’t hire men, that would be another issue. If it refused to allow men to attend, that would be another issue. Business “gets done” almost everywhere – on men’s and women’s softball leagues, in the single-gender locker rooms of athletic clubs, etc – but the purpose in those contexts is not always about business. BlogHer is about creating opportunity, and many who attend do so to connect and engage with their female blogging peers, not attend to “do business”. I think that contextual difference is important to note, and why – I think – BlogHer is not being discriminatory.
@Lara: social clubs and country clubs that only allowed men to join were never about just doing business, yet women used that argument, and demanded to be allowed membership based on discrimination.
You can’t eat your cake and have it too …
Michael: I don’t agree we are comparing apples to apples here. BlogHer doesn’t discriminate on membership; anyone is allowed in their community. But for the sake of time,let’s agree to disagree.
Sorry Michael, you cannot have a reasonable and logical discussion about this. Blogher discriminate pure and simple, but women realize they have the advantage because everything they do will always be in the name of ‘equality’, yet define any place in society were a equilibrium exists and I’ll be amazed. One of the many fallacies of modern feminism. BlogHer is just another website making money off of ‘empowering’ women.
The reason you throw around this kind of bitter resentment against blogher is described best in your comment: “as a consultant being on a panel is very powerful lead generation tool, it confers authority, and expertise. ”
Showing very good that even if there would be male speakers you would not be a good fit to choose from, as the goal of the conference is not about pitching yourself. You did read http://www.blogher.com/mars-and-venus-boardroom-or-blogher ? Btw, as a consultant, you would have had a MUCH easier time to connect with potential leads at blogher left and right than any other conference.
But you would have had to show up and use the opportunity.
@Nicole Simon: c’mon really you don’t believe all this web 2.0 social media stuff is about “connecting with people” do you? It’s customer service and advertising for the advertising averse. That “connecting with people in meaningful ways” is the BS sugar coating the madison avenue is silicon alley people want you believe so you think it’s different and special … and so they can charge you more …
Great post man.
My question and response is represented by the following letters:
A C L U
Where are they on defending gender equality or fair representation in this instance?
I’m also waiting for the day Affirmative Action is represented in the NBA and we have more of a fair representation of the oppressed white athletes that is more authentically representational of the makeup of our society.
Interesting how blatant people are about the uni-directional enforcement of rules or laws when it suits them.
You are comparing apples and oranges! BlogHer isn’t really a conference about blogging but about the female perspective told via blogs. That’s what separates them from the 800 other conference about blogging.
If BlogHer attendees just wanted to learn about SEO friendly blogs, monetization etc. they would go to one of the other conferences. I’ve yet to see a BlogWorld Expo breakout session about blogging about infertility, miscarriage and adoption.
I’m happy to hear you speak anywhere it’s just that as a man you have little to offer us about SEO from a women’s perspective.
As far as men at the conference being treated like “second class citizens” my husband attend as well and we didn’t even make him sit in the back of the room or parade around half dressed in the expo hall as eye candy!
*also, don’t be so quick to pat yourself on the back for other blogging conferences being free from sexism. I’ve been groped at 2 conferences and found the lack of “booth bunnies” a refreshing change at BlogHer!* Nice linkbait tho!
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