We aren't diverse, but we aren't exclusionary either

I will be the first to admit that the tech industry, particularly in Utah Valley, can be quite the mono-culture. If you aren't a white Mormon male from a middle class family, then you better at least be prepared to be surrounded by them. That said, I am not always sure the criticisms of the tech culture as being hostile or unfriendly towards women are always fair. At least in my experience, I have never heard disparaging comments towards women or their programming abilities. Historically, computers have been seen as the playthings of misfits and social outcasts, and those who enjoyed tinkering with software were immediately labelled as such, regardless of its truthfulness. It should come at no surprise that an industry that has always been cast as full of socially awkward nerds would fail to attract a hugely diverse range of people. That isn't to say we can't do better in being more inclusive, and I think analysis of what we can do is important. However, before woman will feel comfortable joining the ranks, those outside of the computer industry must also recognize we aren't all basement-dwelling Star Trek fans.