Making the Computer Masculine

Abstract

-analysis of Dutch newspaper articles 1955 to 1965 to show that metaphors played in important role in making the computer masculine (as well as those who perform the job) -looks at histrical process that aglined masculine values to computers -gendering of symbols and metaphors -first electronic computer (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator ENIAC) 1946, at this time computers where those persons often women, with training in mathematic who solved and calculated complicated equations -women 'computers'were the first to operate and programmed computers as this function was close to their previous activities -enigeers were preoccupued with hardware as thought that providing machine with operating instructions was a clerical task therefore women became first computer programmers (not all agree with Kraft) -however it makes the point that computer changes from female human beings to masculine thinking machine -Harding in The Science question in feminism:1.dualistic gender metaphors are asigned to various perceived dichotomies 2. social activities are organised based on these dualisms eg gender division of labour 3. individual identities are constructed as gendered -new artefacts or new ideas are coupled in prevailing cultural frame by using metaphors; metaphors link existing relationsships to new ones -production of new meaning Brain metaphor -eletronic brain as new technology was not similar to predecessors new metaphor was used to explain how the new technology works -computer were linked with masculine values associated with brain, this is a vehicle to transmit gender relations ((((although this is not enitirely clear here)))))) Artist Programmers -before computer was received as a bit of a risk -programmers were now protrayed as artisits; programmers gained high status -programming became virtuous Alternative meanings -business-ecenomic tool Conclusion -brain metaphor linked computer to social symbols with strong masculine character and computer workers are masculine -in 60s computer masculinise: gender symbolism, gender structure and gender identities -D Spender 'Like the telephone, the conntected computer is jsut crying out for women to use it' in NAttering the Net