Comments on: EA Hosts “Girls Who Code” Summer Immersion Program

By: Pascal Fernandes

Pascal Fernandes — Tue, 04 Aug 2015 16:04:00 +0000

Well but ther statet ther got to see unrealysed content and i doupet it was spa day

By: Wolfsimmer

Wolfsimmer — Tue, 04 Aug 2015 15:34:00 +0000

^ Yep exactly I think they were just excited to get The Sims 4 merch and the game itself, maybe also for the sake of the video :p

By: Kit

Kit — Tue, 04 Aug 2015 14:19:00 +0000

I personally doubt it.

By: Kit

Kit — Tue, 04 Aug 2015 13:02:00 +0000

A lot of this has to also do with self-worth. Not debating the causes of low esteem in young women, the statistics provided by the site say that “In middle school, 74% of girls express interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), but when choosing a college major, just 0.4% of high school girls select computer science.” Just looking at that number, I don’t see it being necessarily the cause of the job field as it is the value of feminine presence in these areas being lost between a young girl wanting to be ambitious and do their dream job, and a young woman who is starting to understand the world and expectations. Again, not debating the cause of the de-value of self worth in between those years, but I feel that this all begins in that tiny seed planted in their mind that perhaps it’s too hard or maybe they aren’t good enough. Heck, maybe they aren’t even interested anymore. But it all starts with the girls, not the job field necessarily.

After attending this program’s Summer Immersion with 375 young ladies in 2014, “90% went on to major or minor in CS or closely related field, 77% of girls changed paths because of Girls Who Code and 92% of program participants taught someone else to code.” Those are some powerful numbers, specifically those that changed their paths into something they have passion in, whether it is new or returned.

Young people… they don’t know what they want necessarily. Some do. Most don’t. In my experiences anyways. If you get their hands on something and they like it, they’ll pursue it and excel. If they try something, don’t like it, the schools charge them more money to try again. They are shamed for wasting time and resources. I personally would prefer more initiatives like Girls Who Code for young adults that are just getting out in the world of all genders and races, so that they can truly find what will make them happiest in life instead of just doing what comes to them. There is -no- shame in that.

And… sorry for the mini rant. It’s a topic I’m passionate about. =)

By: gurlgamer05

gurlgamer05 — Mon, 03 Aug 2015 22:59:00 +0000

As a woman trying to enter computer programming/database administration, this excites me yet saddens me at the same time. I’m excited something is trying to be done now, but this shouldn’t even really be an issue.

By: Pascal Fernandes

Pascal Fernandes — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 10:49:00 +0000

And itw as nice seeing that King is still alife 😀

By: Pascal Fernandes

Pascal Fernandes — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 10:44:00 +0000

EWhy do i have the feeling the moment ther all wear like oh yes on sims 4 it was something totaly specil.. mayby ther got a first lock at toddlers???

By: Babbling Butterfly

Babbling Butterfly — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 10:39:00 +0000

I agree. And I can actually understand how that is. I am studying to work in the field of childhood education and as a man surrounded by women you are put into a similar position here. Your competence is always questioned, women are going to be preferred for no reason other than being a woman and you have to be extremely careful, because just looking at a child for a second too long can already send some parents haywire and make them call you a pedophile. Hasn’t happened to me, luckily, but to others I know.
We’ve still got to go a long way before society will finally understand that talents, skills, interests and jobs don’t have a designated gender. But I am happy that there are events and organizations like these. They won’t solve the problem in a matter or days or even years, but they are the right step into normalizing this career choice for girls and women. And one day, hopefully, our grandchildren might live in a world that won’t judge them for working in a field not “befitting” their gender.

By: MomaKekz

MomaKekz — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 10:23:00 +0000

I think this is not the only problem, I know quite a few women who love gaming and like to persue a career in game development but they are ‘scared’ to get an education in Informatics/ Software development or they started and quit, because the pressure level on them was way to high.
I’m a female student myself, studying Software Development, at an University in Berlin(Germany) and I have to say, I’m surrounded by 90%+ men. Also when I tell someone I’m studying informatics, most of them laugh at me as in “Oh you’re a girl who’s learning how to programm? That’s cute” or “How can I trust a woman with my technical equipment?”
You have to have a real thick skin and get used to rather sexist statements, which is quite a common reason for woman quitting their education and going into social studies or whatever.
What I’m trying to say here is that the female population in the technical field is rather small and it is not only because of the lack of interest in these fields.
Of course I can only speak for myself and fellow students, but I can assure you that as a woman you’re at the moment the underdog and you have to do a lot more to prove that you’re ‘worth’ to persue a technical career.
Actually my University is hosting alot of events to get girls interested in getting an education in the technical field, but most of them are to scared to do so, because of what the society thinks about female technicans.

It’s quite a long brabble I had here but to get the essence out of it:
I’m positive it’s a good idea to host events like this and it is really important to get women to open their eyes and see what they can do. But as you stated, other publishers didn’t have any interest in the events and I think it only shows how one sided this field of career is, and how hard it will be for women to do what they love if they want to persue a technical career.
In my opinion it’ll be a long way before women are treated like men are now in the technical field and you should make the society aware of the fact that women can have the same skill as a man with the identical education.

By: Kenta

Kenta — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 09:06:00 +0000

Right? EA isn’t look so bar anymore XD