While at the expo, I (Wendy) was interviewed by Wired.com, and the
article appeared online today. This was very cool, and the information in the article was just as I described it. However, I think my experience may have been like when a black person goes into Denny's. If there is any doubt about how someone reacts to you - you question whether it is because you are black. Now, it could have been very busy in Denny's that day and someone who arrived after you
happened to get waited on before you do - thus, it must be
because you are black. So, at an event that is mostly guys, the first interaction I have with someone gives me doubt about my acceptance - so I react thinking "it must be
because I have a vagina".
To be clear:
I love all podcasters and I do not think podcasting is a boys' club. There are definitely more guys than girls, but there is no complaint from me here. (This may be wrong of me to say but I actually
prefer it that way - and I even mentioned that to the interviewer.) To prove how cool everyone was there, the guy who I rode the bus with (from the article) contacted me when he saw the article to say that he did not mean to come off as trying to exclude me because I was female. That was very cool of him, and I replied saying it really wasn't a huge deal - but perhaps the article was looking for a bit of a spin. We have plans to get a drink together at the next event. No harm, no foul.
But again - ALL the podcasters at the expo were awesome, regardless if they had a penis. OK, maybe there were a few (I could count on one hand) who had egos bigger than they should have - but these were of both genders. Actually, given the small representation of women at the expo, I think this means that there were actually more women that sucked than guys.
Hopefully (if the weather lets me get from NY back to Chicago today), we'll have a new show out tonight. Peace and love to all!
~Wendy