Crooked Timber on Gender and Blogging

Crooked Timber (an amazing academic blog) addressed gender and blogging directly on December 17 (with references to earlier articles on the topic). CT notes that it has a gender imbalance in both its contributors and blogroll and talks about the role of homophily, women's tendency not to demand attention and the general issues of gender balance in academia.

On the issue of failing to demand attention, one quote made me really reflect - Interestingly, I don't think we ever had a woman ask whether she could write for us, whereas at least four men have. I'm terrible about asking to participate in things in which i think my voice would be valuable. I'm OK when there's a proper submission process and i feel equipped to submit, but i don't even think to ask to be a speaker or a writer in things that i value. It never crosses my mind to demand participation even after i realize that speakers are not chosen through some formal process. I wonder what it will take for it to get through my thick skull that i could even ask to have a voice in these things instead of just waiting around for people to pick me, pick me, pretty please.