Let’s Talk about the Sexism in Computer Building
Linus Tech Tips YouTube channel being a little less than conscientious about this issue…
Ever notice how most computer building videos are by men and for men? There are some women building computers too, but they don’t receive nearly the same number of views. It’s a man’s world, and along with car repair how-to’s and Overwatch gameplay videos, you would think that computer building is a male-dominated hobby.
Even the few videos that women have made to showcase their own builds are filled with hesitation and excuses. Along with the repetitive mentions that they will make mistakes, almost all these videos are filled with uncertainly and doubt. Of course, this is part of a systemic problem, one that I intend to address below.
Now I’m sure that most professional computer building channels on YouTube don’t mean to be sexist about it. To be fair, most are very informative channels, but it’s not often we see a woman there. If we do, it is usually in a “supportive role”, to do a product pitch, or as someone who “needs help.”
The fact is, this obliviousness on the part of men is sexist too. That’s right, it’s privilege. Men don’t have to think about it, so they don’t. Unfortunately, by ignoring the issue, they help perpetuate it. This is a shame and something we should actively work to change.
Why does this matter?
This division between male and female roles harks back to early childhood when boys played with Legos and girls with dolls. In other words: boys build, girls comfort. You can’t comfort a computer, so that leaves girls out of this hobby. As they grow older, that discrepancy grows.
Over time, it becomes a more insidious issue. Building something gives one ownership and power over that which is built. After all, if you build something from the ground up like you would a computer, it helps you understand how all the parts are interconnected and dependent on each other. As a result, that greater understanding, gives you control and yes, also power, over it.
Building computers should not be gender-biased…
Image courtesy of pixabay.com
Denying women the same opportunities essentially also denies them that understanding and power. This then perpetuates the dependence on men to help with computer maintenance over time. While I’m sure there are some women reading this thinking that they are perfectly fine leaving all that tech to men, it does beg the question, should they be fine with it?
This division of interest can develop into larger ramifications. As women move up in organizations and corporations, the dependency remains. Even a female CEO will defer more readily to a (typically male) CIO about technical matters. The dependence becomes hard-wired in the mind, and they are perpetually at a disadvantage because of it.
It is also the case that the other men around the female CEO expect this behavior. It is hard-wired in their minds too. It becomes institutionalized sexism. It makes even the most senior women in our society not just perpetually dependent on men, but makes those men think that they should be. Ultimately, it makes it that much more difficult for a woman to be in a leadership position.
OK, but this is much bigger than building computers, right?
Yes, it is. However along with starting girls on playing with the same Legos at an early age, to encouraging them to develop STEM interests later, building computers is also an educational process.
Most people building computers are young gamers – there is an entire industry and subculture around this hobby. It is the reason that the only computer magazines (once in the dozens) that are still thriving are the ones for this hobby. Building computers can be part of that education. Girls need to see that they can be part of it, and boys need to see this as normal.
In addition to the socio-psychological benefits of computer building, it also develops critical skills. It is a very mechanical process – everything fits in specific ways. It develops 3-dimensional thinking, it involves problem solving skills, and it requires knowledge of related technologies relevant to a future career. These include knowledge of computer operating systems, cooling and airflow dynamics, as well as design and engineering considerations that impact how the computer operates.
Let’s choose your character for this game…
Image courtesy of pixabay.com
There is another benefit in encouraging girls to build computers: it addresses the very serious sexism and misogyny in related industries, for example in gaming. This has been talked about quite a bit, but if this is news to you, here’s a quick video about what female gamers deal with: The Dark Side Of Gaming - The Females Fighting Back (contains offensive language). Yes, there is still a long way to go in the gaming industry, but if more women build their own gaming computers, then there will also be more empowered girls playing those games with those computers.
Changing gaming environments will encourage girls to participate and to be seen as part of the community. It will also encourage more of them to become game developers and develop interests in other computer-related fields. Maybe we’ll eventually even see a female tech billionaire in space…
What is encouraging is that there are now about as many women playing computer games as there are men. This is a huge change from just a few years ago. As a result, sexism and misogyny is increasingly being frowned upon in this industry. Yes, this is what happens when there is parity between males and females in any environment. Now let’s see if we can change the balance in computer building as well.
All right, but I’m not a gamer
I went into detail about gaming because it is one industry related to computer building that has thrived in recent years. Fortunately for everyone, this has also had a positive effect on the building of computers for non-gamers. Consequently, this helps the industry grow more and the positive cycle perpetuates itself.
For one, there are many more resources for computer builders. Parts are easier to find online, tutorials are all over YouTube (granted most are still by men), and documentation and specs for these parts are easily found as well. This makes it much easier for young people to find the parts they need to build their computers.
There are also many more ways to customize the computers to fit the builder’s personal style and taste. Here are some examples of what computers can look like:
There is also a new trend to make computers blend into our lifestyles and be more furniture-like, complete with wood sides and rounded edges.
Move over, Apple! With so many options, there is a much wider array of styles that computer builders can chose from. It no longer needs to be a big, heavy, square metallic box.
For those that want to build their own cases, there are several plans available online for people to 3D print their own parts and even entire cases. Or if 3D printing is too tedious, you can also buy the case in parts and build that yourself.
The point is that while these computers can certainly be used for gamers, they don’t have to be. More importantly, it is no longer necessary to buy a boring Dell, HP or Lenovo box that is pre-assembled for you. There are many more and interesting choices.
This brings me to another important point. Choice is typically not something that girls are given, at least not as often as boys. Instead, the choice is made for them, especially when it comes to technology. Buying a pre-made computer is another way to reinforce that deception: give girls just something pre-decided for them.
OK, but I’m not young, either.
Well, to begin, youth is only a mindset. There are many older adults building computers. Consequently, many are also gamers, but we’ve already covered that. There are even online groups for elderly gamers and computer builders, and they are growing. As the saying goes, you are never too old to learn.
One the other hand, you could also build a computer together with your daughter. This doesn’t mean you need to do it all for her, either. Let her take the lead while you provide the guidance to pick the right parts, find a look that she likes, and let her install the software that she chooses.
Above all, allow her to make some mistakes along the way, because that is the best way to learn. We stereotypically say that healthy boys should have a few bumps and bruises, but girls should be protected.
Well, this is also faulty logic when it comes to computer building. As long as they don’t injure themselves, girls should be allowed to install the fans backwards, break a plastic clip, and crash a system by overclocking too aggressively. When boys do this, we dismiss it as boys-will-be-boys mistakes, so why not do the same for girls?
Image courtesy of pexels.com
In adulthood, computer building has many benefits for women as well. This is especially true for self-employed women. Small business owners, graphic designer, YouTubers, and many people in the Gig Economy are building their own computers, and you can too. This is because computer building will enrich your life in many ways:
You will better understand what is inside your computer
You will have a new computer to use, probably better than the one you’re using now
You won’t be shy about opening it back up for repairs and upgrades
You’ll know when a slick salesman is trying to sell junk tech
You will have found a new community online of people just like yourself
You will reduce your dependence on someone else for computer help
You will gain a sense of accomplishment and pride
And of course, you can now also play Fortnite like a pro!
It’s not difficult either. Other than a computer being a bit smaller, it is not too different from assembling Ikea furniture. You know that feeling when you tighten that last screw? Well, that’s the same feeling you get after completing a computer build. Just watch some YouTube videos on how to do this – there is one for just about every part you will install.
By the way, if you work in a specialized field that requires high-performance computing, like graphic design, database management, programming, music/video production, photography, then you need to build your own computer.
This is because that pre-built computer from a major manufacturer is not going to be customized to your profession’s specific needs. When you build your own computer, you learn why certain parts are more important than others and this will save you time, money, and frustration.
Most importantly, if you are a parent, you’ll be setting an example to your children that computer building is something women can do as well. When they see that this is normal and encouraged, they will expect the same when they go out into the world to study, find work, and build their own dreams.
Conclusion
Building computers is not just about gaming. While there is much we can thank gaming for, such as growing this industry and pushing performance, it also has its dark side as we have seen. So, we need to take the good and shed the bad from gaming.
One such good is the wonderful opportunity it gives us to build our own computers. In a world where most other products are pre-assembled and dumbed down to appeal to a larger number of average consumers, it is refreshing that computer building is going in a different direction. Instead of wallowing in average, it gives everyone an opportunity to excel and rise above mediocrity.
This opportunity exists for women as much as for men. Just because it has been a man’s hobby for so long does not mean it needs to remain so. Times change, and computer building has changed too. If the gaming industry can grow it’s share of women to outnumber men, then this can also happen for computer building. There are simply too many benefits to building computers.
So, women and girls of the world: start building!
