[matdes]

so mr. egalitarian, I'm so blind-I-only-see-ability.

You're telling me, with no question, if you were to see this woman in the middle of the street, you would think she could absolutely be a coder?

You're telling me if you saw her at a conference, you would think she was there as an expert, and not to find a husband, or was part of the booth babes or help staff?

You're telling me if you saw her on the roster to speak at a conference, you'd think she got it because of her prowess and intellect, and not because she dolled up?

[wutbrodo]

I can't speak for "Mr Egalitarian", as you put it, but I can confidently say yes to all of those things (or more precisely, I wouldn't assume any of those things any less or more than if I saw an Asian man). Knowing the probability of a tech person being a certain race or gender doesn't mean one is forced to apply that knowledge, particularly when one is aware of the human cost of that kind of stereotyping/pidgeonholing. It sounds like you're just projecting a lot of racial and/or gender issues that you have onto the author of the parent comment.

[matdes]

lol, okay. whatever u say, bro.

[wutbrodo]

I'm glad we're in agreement. It's all too rare to find people who are so easily convinced even when they're very wrong; kudos.