[patkai]

Jeez, how painful to think that she has to explain her role regularly just because she is a woman. My wife and I are both software developers, and recently moved from Helsinki to Berlin, with two kids. If you could see the faces when we tell people how we moved here, "with _her_ job" :D First they look at her, like "does she look the part", and then looking at me, like "what does he really do?" It's actually fun, and more of "our thing" to watch those reactions than a pain, but in the bigger scheme of things what a waste that we are scared of all those wonderful women who could work with us, but don't.

[Krustopolis]

She didn't say it was because she was a woman, in fact she explicitly says it was because she was the only non-technical cofounder.

[erikpukinskis]

I think the issue is that there’s a kind of Jim Crow discrimination if we try to act as if “technical” is a valid filter for whether someone is recognized as making a clear contribution. If women are less likely to make technical contributions, and we only recognize technical contributions, then we’re de facto minimizing crucial contributions of women.

Also, what does “technical” even mean? Why is setting up the legal structure of a company non-technical but writing HTML for the web site is technical?

Sometimes I wonder if non-technical is just a slur.

[kumartanmay]

Had it been early years of YC, this post of explaining herself could have made sense. After so many years of being at the helm of YC, who is a nut to doubt her? Or is it that she is still insecure and any indirect reference to her capability, she begins to explain herself. I am speculating and I would be really happy to be proven wrong!

[pedalpete]

I half took it was your meaning as well, and I guess it's good that we are recognizing this as a potential issue.

The other way of looking at it is that PG was definitely the front-man, you kinda got an idea of what he did.

If I had met Trevor or Robert (or if somebody had asked me who they were), I'd probably ask the same question.

In fact, if you asked me "who started YC?", I'd probably say "PG & Jessica".

[sonnyblarney]

The vast majority of people who get 'moved for jobs' are regular professionals - and especially in Europe, they look the part.

I walked into a store once in Ottawa, and bought some expensive kids stuff, the owner said: "Are you a software developer" and I said 'how'd you know'? ... Because almost everyone who can afford her stuff is a lawyer, government exec, banker, or otherwise professional.

So I'd say the bulk of it is to the people you tell ... it's an anomaly, that's all.