It’s easier than it looks- and looks seem to matter. (attractive women are well received but don’t always have something useful to say; women who are unattractive aren’t often put in front of the camera even though their thoughts and ideas may be far more valuable ((it seems to have to be a cute girl giving sex appeal to the camera, which is really degrading to both the presenter and the audience, I think))
Pros and cons of being a woman in the space
opportunities seem to fall in your lap/opportunities seem plentiful for women or women of a certain type (pro)
There is an untapped market in this current space for female based content (pro)

Sometime you can be mistaken for nothing more than yet another pretty face. (con)
The typical harassment issues from the opposite sex; emails, other forms of contact- insults and degrading comments are an issue. sexual harassment as well.(con)
Sometimes you can be mistaken for just another pretty face: Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and do things on your own. Don’t be afraid to mess up or make mistakes. “Pretty” women tend to rely on their looks alone, and that mindset is what has dropped us into this stereotype. Learn and become empowered to do things on your own. I am not a “code monkey” and have learned from scratch all that I know, it is humbling at times but worth it to not just be another “pretty face”. Know that it is awesome to be attractive -something sought after in this industry -but that is not the end all for women in this space. Open yourself up to being more than pretty- learn, do, help, create, actively have and share your opinions; learn who you are in this male dominated space- not who everyone wants you to be.
Sexual harassment/emails with insults and degrading comments: We all respond differently to these sort of threats and/or fear situations. Seek and respect advice and counsel from friends and family, but don’t be afraid to make the decision that is best for you. I do not respond to emails, unless they persist and make me extremely uncomfortable. I respond only to document at this point that the behavior is unwanted sexual advancement. I know that by responding it will further encourage these people to keep on with whatever they have intended for me; most of the time I will simply refuse to respond and they get bored and move on to the next target. An awesome online resource : WHOA (Working to Halt Online Abuse) if you have difficulty dealing with these issues and feel afraid and victimized WHOA is a great place you can turn. Don’t just take it as a natural way of functioning online “oh there will always be some idiot out there…” take the initiative to stop harassment before it escalates into stalking or RL threats of violence.
other women producing their own content online that than I know/know of:
Nontourage was created to reveal an insider’s view of Hollywood not often seen—the view from those hovering just under the radar. http://www.nontourage.com/home/
Also by Sarah Atwood:
http://www.myspace.com/dearaddymay
http://www.geekgirl.blip.tv

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