'Girlfriends in High Places'

Helen McCarthy of Demos, a British think-tank, has published a report on formal networks among professional women:

Girlfriends in High Places argues that professional networks can enhance individual career prospects while enabling women to work together to tackle workplace inequality. Women’s professional networks can provide the kind of confidence-building support which men are good at providing for each other through their informal networks.

Somewhat surprisingly (although perhaps not, given the specialised sample), 41% of women surveyed by Demos were or had been members of at least one women's network, and women's networks are a growing phenomenon. Helen connects their growth to "the changing nature of gender politics and the ways in which women construct their identities in relation to work, and in relation to each other", noting that while 81% of respondents rated the sex-specific nature of the women's networks as a positive influence on their decision to join, "few networks explicitly espouse feminist or equality goals". Furthermore, she observes that "networks are an organisational form which enables women to pursue both individual and collective strategies for change."

There's lots of interest here, so do read the full report. (Oh and while you're there, check out the recent discussion on the Demos blog about its own 'male domination', Females: Blogged Off. I love the way it trails off into comment spam - from prescription pills to debt relief, gambling and dating - almost in answer to its own question ;-)

Finally, the majority of non-networkers Helen surveyed simply weren't aware of any networks for them. Where are the networks for women in technology? Are you a member of one?