Comments on: gender and blogs http://www.marcomblog.com/2006/08/10/gender-and-blogs/ Marcom - Marketing Communications :: PR/Marcom Pros Mentoring Students Thu, 20 Nov 2008 09:32:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Emily Anne http://www.marcomblog.com/2006/08/10/gender-and-blogs/#comment-9731 Emily Anne Fri, 09 Mar 2007 05:23:57 +0000 http://www.marcomblog.com/2006/08/10/gender-and-blogs/#comment-9731 I hate to be the one to ruin this great run of "all equal, gender blindness," but I like male authors more than female. Sorry. Maybe it is my habit of reading novels written by men. Don't get me wrong, three cheers for women's suffrage but I have always preferred series composed by misters. In terms of blogs, I think that the humor of the male authors are wittier and I find them less inclined to worry about the audience they may offend. I'm not looking for a blog that I can relate to, I enjoy the ones that really stimulate my thinking. Is this really an abnormal behavior or was everyone before me just being polite and p.c.? Please don't tell me that Susan B. Anthony is turning in her grave right now. I hate to be the one to ruin this great run of “all equal, gender blindness,” but I like male authors more than female.
Sorry.
Maybe it is my habit of reading novels written by men. Don’t get me wrong, three cheers for women’s suffrage but I have always preferred series composed by misters. In terms of blogs, I think that the humor of the male authors are wittier and I find them less inclined to worry about the audience they may offend.
I’m not looking for a blog that I can relate to, I enjoy the ones that really stimulate my thinking.
Is this really an abnormal behavior or was everyone before me just being polite and p.c.? Please don’t tell me that Susan B. Anthony is turning in her grave right now.

]]> By: Susan Getgood http://www.marcomblog.com/2006/08/10/gender-and-blogs/#comment-9628 Susan Getgood Mon, 05 Mar 2007 21:35:24 +0000 http://www.marcomblog.com/2006/08/10/gender-and-blogs/#comment-9628 And a post comes back to life. Wow!! Keep in mind, and keep an open mind, that the issue isn't whether one can tell if a blogger is male or female by what they write. And I (and others) are not saying that people deliberately pick which blogs to read according to the gender of the author. What is true is that there is a gender effect in blogging due to link behaviors. Aggregators like techmeme in particular are notorius for a male bias (Jeneane Sessum at Allied has written eloquently on this subject.) And there continues to be a gender effect at most (not all) tech conferences where the bulk of the speakers are still men. Because there aren't qualified women? I don't think so. Simply becauae the organizers, most often men, invite the folks they know best. Which happen to be men. Elisa Camahort of BlogHer has written about this a lot, and just recently as well. Gender should have no importance, in blogging or pretty much anywhere else in the business world. But it does. If we deny its effects, we'll never solve the problem. And a post comes back to life. Wow!!

Keep in mind, and keep an open mind, that the issue isn’t whether one can tell if a blogger is male or female by what they write. And I (and others) are not saying that people deliberately pick which blogs to read according to the gender of the author.

What is true is that there is a gender effect in blogging due to link behaviors. Aggregators like techmeme in particular are notorius for a male bias (Jeneane Sessum at Allied has written eloquently on this subject.)

And there continues to be a gender effect at most (not all) tech conferences where the bulk of the speakers are still men. Because there aren’t qualified women? I don’t think so. Simply becauae the organizers, most often men, invite the folks they know best. Which happen to be men. Elisa Camahort of BlogHer has written about this a lot, and just recently as well.

Gender should have no importance, in blogging or pretty much anywhere else in the business world. But it does. If we deny its effects, we’ll never solve the problem.

]]> By: Christopher http://www.marcomblog.com/2006/08/10/gender-and-blogs/#comment-9626 Christopher Mon, 05 Mar 2007 21:15:49 +0000 http://www.marcomblog.com/2006/08/10/gender-and-blogs/#comment-9626 Hello Susan, After reading your post and the other bloggs, I honestly find that topic kind of silly. Just determining a difference in male or female writing through blog posts? Personally, I don't even pay attention to the names or genders of the writer. If the topic line grabs my attention then I read the post. Since gender effects so many other parts of the busniess world (that are typically a face-to-face situation) I feel that it should have no level of importance in the blogging world. Hello Susan,
After reading your post and the other bloggs, I honestly find that topic kind of silly. Just determining a difference in male or female writing through blog posts? Personally, I don’t even pay attention to the names or genders of the writer. If the topic line grabs my attention then I read the post.

Since gender effects so many other parts of the busniess world (that are typically a face-to-face situation) I feel that it should have no level of importance in the blogging world.

]]> By: Liz R. http://www.marcomblog.com/2006/08/10/gender-and-blogs/#comment-9589 Liz R. Mon, 05 Mar 2007 01:27:24 +0000 http://www.marcomblog.com/2006/08/10/gender-and-blogs/#comment-9589 Susan, I thought that this post was interesting. This topic is something that I had never considered after beginning to blog. I don’t believe that the gender of the blogger matters. As a senior in public relations I believe that the men and women in my major will have the same opportunities once we enter the workforce because we have all had a chance to learn the basics of blogging in Robert’s class. There are some instances that gender may matter. If a site has a particular audience or is based on a gender-based topic it may be important who is blogging. On some subjects, women/men may feel more comfortable reading posts made be their own gender. Some people may also find it easier to relate to his or her own gender on different topics. Susan,

I thought that this post was interesting. This topic is something that I had never considered after beginning to blog. I don’t believe that the gender of the blogger matters. As a senior in public relations I believe that the men and women in my major will have the same opportunities once we enter the workforce because we have all had a chance to learn the basics of blogging in Robert’s class.

There are some instances that gender may matter. If a site has a particular audience or is based on a gender-based topic it may be important who is blogging. On some subjects, women/men may feel more comfortable reading posts made be their own gender. Some people may also find it easier to relate to his or her own gender on different topics.

]]> By: Jessica http://www.marcomblog.com/2006/08/10/gender-and-blogs/#comment-9587 Jessica Mon, 05 Mar 2007 00:48:51 +0000 http://www.marcomblog.com/2006/08/10/gender-and-blogs/#comment-9587 I am also a pr student who was just looking through the archives and this post caught my attention. I do not think gender is important when it comes to blogging. Blogging, for me, is expressing opinions and making comments on your particular field. There is no reason a man's opinion should be ranked any higher than a woman's. There might be a glass ceiling in the business world, but in the world of blogging, gender seems to be a non-issue. I read blogs daily and I do not choose which blogs I read based on who wrote it. I read for content. That should really be all that matters. I am also a pr student who was just looking through the archives and this post caught my attention. I do not think gender is important when it comes to blogging. Blogging, for me, is expressing opinions and making comments on your particular field. There is no reason a man’s opinion should be ranked any higher than a woman’s.

There might be a glass ceiling in the business world, but in the world of blogging, gender seems to be a non-issue. I read blogs daily and I do not choose which blogs I read based on who wrote it. I read for content. That should really be all that matters.

]]> By: Hollon http://www.marcomblog.com/2006/08/10/gender-and-blogs/#comment-9585 Hollon Sun, 04 Mar 2007 22:56:28 +0000 http://www.marcomblog.com/2006/08/10/gender-and-blogs/#comment-9585 Hello Ms. Getgood! My name is Hollon and I'm a pr student at Auburn. I was digging through the archives and your post caught my eye. I've always been a girl who believes in equality and that woment should have every right and all the respect of men. It's sad to think that we even have a divide in blogging. It seems there will always be a glass ceiling of some sort, a barrier that will just never break! I have been blogging for not much time, a few months, and I base what I read on the content. Sometimes I don't even look to see if a man wrote it or a woman. My opinions come straight from the material. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I had no idea it was even thought of in the world of social media. Hello Ms. Getgood! My name is Hollon and I’m a pr student at Auburn. I was digging through the archives and your post caught my eye.

I’ve always been a girl who believes in equality and that woment should have every right and all the respect of men. It’s sad to think that we even have a divide in blogging.

It seems there will always be a glass ceiling of some sort, a barrier that will just never break!

I have been blogging for not much time, a few months, and I base what I read on the content. Sometimes I don’t even look to see if a man wrote it or a woman. My opinions come straight from the material. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I had no idea it was even thought of in the world of social media.

]]> By: Susan Getgood http://www.marcomblog.com/2006/08/10/gender-and-blogs/#comment-7441 Susan Getgood Fri, 24 Nov 2006 19:36:57 +0000 http://www.marcomblog.com/2006/08/10/gender-and-blogs/#comment-7441 Thanks for the comment I am sure most folks will understand that what you meant was "less personal" not "more serious" Thanks for the comment I am sure most folks will understand that what you meant was “less personal” not “more serious”

]]> By: Michael D. http://www.marcomblog.com/2006/08/10/gender-and-blogs/#comment-7436 Michael D. Fri, 24 Nov 2006 06:36:59 +0000 http://www.marcomblog.com/2006/08/10/gender-and-blogs/#comment-7436 Oops, I should have read before posting. I didn't mean to infer that breast cancer is not a serious issue. Actually, a good friend of mine was recently diagnosed with breast cancer - at 36! - and the blogosphere has been a very useful resource for me to learn more about it. Oops, I should have read before posting. I didn’t mean to infer that breast cancer is not a serious issue. Actually, a good friend of mine was recently diagnosed with breast cancer - at 36! - and the blogosphere has been a very useful resource for me to learn more about it.

]]> By: Michael D. http://www.marcomblog.com/2006/08/10/gender-and-blogs/#comment-7435 Michael D. Fri, 24 Nov 2006 06:34:32 +0000 http://www.marcomblog.com/2006/08/10/gender-and-blogs/#comment-7435 I can honestly say that the sex of a blogger is of no importance to me and most of the time I don't even register it unless his or her gender-specific name is written large. Where it does matter is in topics that have greater significance according to gender. For example, I am more interested in a woman's perspective on breast cancer or a man's perspective on baldness. As for blogs of a more serious nature, such as politics, PR, economics or science, I think we have all evolved to know that men and women can be equally as knowledgeable and equally as daft. I can honestly say that the sex of a blogger is of no importance to me and most of the time I don’t even register it unless his or her gender-specific name is written large. Where it does matter is in topics that have greater significance according to gender. For example, I am more interested in a woman’s perspective on breast cancer or a man’s perspective on baldness.

As for blogs of a more serious nature, such as politics, PR, economics or science, I think we have all evolved to know that men and women can be equally as knowledgeable and equally as daft.

]]> By: Hayley http://www.marcomblog.com/2006/08/10/gender-and-blogs/#comment-5908 Hayley Tue, 10 Oct 2006 05:14:26 +0000 http://www.marcomblog.com/2006/08/10/gender-and-blogs/#comment-5908 Gender is an important factor that does actually affect many systems or actions; however it doesn't seem to affect blogging at all. In blogging or commenting many times we do not even look to see if the author of the blog is male of female. This is an important question to raise though; gender does effect almost every aspect of our lives today without us realizing it. However, blogging in one area where it is possible for us to escape the impact and judgment of gender and are allowed to give a comment based on our knowledge and interest. Blogging is definitely an activity where either gender can participate and all are encouraged to participate. Also, with the many diverse and unique names that are out there today, sometimes it is hard to tell if the person is male of female just based on their name. Blogging does not judge on gender I feel and think that all are encouraged to do it. If it were not for the different genders’ insights, how would our world of blogging be diverse? It wouldn’t! The world of blogging should be stampeded by all and used to its’ full capacity. No male or female should be afraid of posting a blog based on their gender and I don’t feel that it is that way or ever will be that way at all. Thanks so much for the insight Susan! Gender is an important factor that does actually affect many systems or actions; however it doesn’t seem to affect blogging at all. In blogging or commenting many times we do not even look to see if the author of the blog is male of female. This is an important question to raise though; gender does effect almost every aspect of our lives today without us realizing it. However, blogging in one area where it is possible for us to escape the impact and judgment of gender and are allowed to give a comment based on our knowledge and interest. Blogging is definitely an activity where either gender can participate and all are encouraged to participate. Also, with the many diverse and unique names that are out there today, sometimes it is hard to tell if the person is male of female just based on their name. Blogging does not judge on gender I feel and think that all are encouraged to do it. If it were not for the different genders’ insights, how would our world of blogging be diverse? It wouldn’t! The world of blogging should be stampeded by all and used to its’ full capacity. No male or female should be afraid of posting a blog based on their gender and I don’t feel that it is that way or ever will be that way at all. Thanks so much for the insight Susan!

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