Meet your MAKER FAIRE: Me Crafty Jane. You Techie Tarzan.
Name how many men you know who own power tools.
Name how many men you know who own a sewing machine.
You might be shaking your head thinking, “Well, that’s obvious.”… because I tailored my request to resonate with women.
If you’re a guy, you’re probably wondering, “What is this crazy bitch getting at?” That’s OK, because I’m banking on the fact that most of our readers are, in fact, the gentler sex.
Maker Faire blows most craft shows out of the water in terms of vendors and exhibits. With an estimated turnout of 65,000 attendees, and over 500 “makers” exhibiting, it was almost surreal to witness. Though giving my presentations occupied me for a couple hours, I was free to roam the rest of the weekend, and still didn’t get to see everything. One thing I observed almost doesn’t need to be said. Male makers were a minority in the crafty corners of the event, and though women had a definite presence in the technology arena, they still seemed largely outnumbered, especially in robotics and other mechanical applications.
