Why women avoid IT -- and possibly should

Slashdot had an article last night titled Women Are Fleeing IT Jobs. Appearantly, women are figuring out that Information Technology isn't a place to work if you want a lot of nights and weekends free. Imagine that. Milady and I discussed me living the blue-colored outsourcer for almost 2 years before I went to the current job, and one of the reasons I left was that my only advancement paths involved working more hours and traveling more. I ended up having a little less take-home pay and fewer methods of advancement, but a lot less overtime and much fewer nights and weekends.

In the comments to the article, Natomui said:

It really frightens me that the tone of the article depicts all IT related women as doting career moms who are only waiting for an easy out to go home and take care of Father Jr. This backslide into 1950s pre-feminist movement status scares me. Why can't the IT dad have to worry about day-care and being on call 24 hours a day because he has to take care of his children too? Why have we set up yet another situation for detached parenting that falls prey to the same social normality that we've been trying to eradicate for decades to pave the way for something far more beneficial - a well rounded parental structure that depicts both parties as nurturing.

1960s feminism has failed the children. The Baby Boomers may not have realized it, and even their kids, but the current generation is, because they've lived it. Feminism is "I want it my way" for women. OTOH, having kids is all about their needs and growth. If a kid needs Mom to stay home, then Mom stays home. Period. If the family needs Dad to skip the promotion to $150k manager so that he can be at every ballgame and play, then you don't advance.

Once you have kids, it's about duty and responsibility, not rights and privilages.