Manolo Blahniks aren`t cheap

I often feel like the odd one out at IT conferences and meetings, surrounded by the hoards of men that dominate the technology industry.

ITWeb`s 2006 Salary Survey revealed there are still too few women in the IT game and the Women in Business Census 2006 confirms the number of women in management is dwindling from previous years.

Even giants like Microsoft have made an effort to encourage women to get more involved in the techie world through its Women in IT initiative. However, Loraine Vorster from industry association CompTIA admits it`s us girls that are the problem. She says we shy away from the technologically advanced while choosing our study path and never look back.

It looks more and more like the men aren`t keeping us out; we are just not trying hard enough to get in. A common complaint is that we women are underpaid and overworked. We aren`t asking for special attention; we only want to be on par with the golf playing, beer gulping, belching other half of the gene pool.

That`s something I don`t understand: we endured the fight for the emancipation of our gender, won the right to work, earn and vote, but are intimidated by the glass ceiling.

I suddenly realised the modern women`s fascination for stilettos is revenge for the clich'ed "barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen" male ideal.

Bhavna Singh, junior journalist, ITWeb

The male faction, builders of the ceiling, is a voice in my left ear. My colleague, who happens to be male and sits on my left, responds with: "We give you the vote and that`s not enough?" I say no. We need more: more money, more shoes.

Said colleague was backed up by a fellow chauvinist behind me who shouted: "Shoes and condoms have ruined the world!"

I suddenly realised the modern women`s fascination for stilettos is revenge for the clich'ed "barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen" male ideal.

It`s people with that perception that come up with bad jokes like: "Why do women have smaller feet than men? It`s one of those 'evolutionary things` that allows them to stand closer to the kitchen sink."

It`s true that women are the multi-taskers of the world. We are mothers, workers, housekeepers and glittering trophies to the well-paid men I speak of. We are sometimes high maintenance and require some flexitime. We take time off to produce the next generation of men and excuse ourselves for "female medical emergencies". All these things I accept and embrace for I am woman.

But that does not mean we cannot give 110% to each role and shouldn`t earn just rewards. As a good female friend, beautiful enough to be underestimated in business but viciously smart, says: "Society must pay the price for reproduction, not women!"

The Economist reported only last week that girls get better grades at school than boys, and in most developed countries more women than men go to university.

"Women will thus be better equipped for the new jobs of the 21st century, in which brains count a lot more than brawn," it stated.

Mother`s Day is almost upon us... Come on ladies, let`s go all out to make more money to buy mum some Manolo Blahniks.