Silicon.com: Women turned off by technology's 'geeky' image

A research report indicates that women turn to technology and technology careers less often then men because of a persistent "geeky" image. The study, which followed women in five European countries, found that women felt as though they would not fit in if they engaged in technology education or careers. This tech avoidance may rub off with Internet usage behaviors and careers in peripheral industries that rely greatly on technology.

The study may show that marketing technology applications to women as innovative, new, not-yet-accepted norms, may backfire. While attractive to men, these pitches may turn off women who have become accustomed to not being welcome at tech's leading edge, either as a user or a contributor. Some marketers - like several telecommunications firms - can already attest that their own experiences show this to be the case. But sending marketing messages to women that it's OK to be a dullard about technology may serve to reinforce the inequity.

The study found light at the end of the tunnel in the form of a trend indicating that as technologies are broadly adopted in everyday lives, the gender issue becomes less and less apparent, eventually fading away.