You see, Microsoft invited me to attend and present at them for the past couple of years. Each time I am one of fewer than 5 men at the event. My bio should still be online at http://www.inventyourfuture.com/conferencespeak... – which is the event at which I presented.

That does create a fun little problem – everyone typically is dying to find out why I am so special. :)

It helped me get a better understanding of the challenges facing women in corporate world. It was also interesting to work through some business case studies. One Stanford professor, Margaret A. Neale, particularly stands out as a speaker. She sold me on the quality of Stanford GSB in less than an hour, basically. :)

So, put InventYourFuture on your agenda for next year if you seek more women's-only conferences to attend. Besides me, you'll be one of very few guys to even know of its existence. Microsoft provides the space at their Mountain View campus. The first conference was geared toward entrepreneurs. This year's conference was more for corporate women. Frankly, that reduced its value to me as that's not my target audience.

I haven't been to BlogHer, so I can't really speak to the tone or feel of the conference. I've heard both good and bad things from women that have attended, so I assume it's like every other conference on earth in that sense.

I do think that the exclusion of men as speakers doesn't necessarily make sense. I'd think the best person to have speak would be the best person in that field, regardless of their gender. That's what I'd want to see, at least, whether the conference was geared towards my gender or not.

Granted, that means Micah will never get to speak, but… ;)

But, again, not going, so perhaps my opinion is moot. I also haven't experienced any sort of barrier to entry or glass ceiling online, so I can't speak to that, either. I think writers have it much easier than most other fields that create or work on anything in this space.

“I think that is such bullshit.” was your response to what I said about why women choose to attend the event.

Try to find where I said “you can't learn anything because you don't have a vagina.” Go ahead. Try. Because I'm VERY careful about what I say and how I say it – and I've never said that to anyone in my life.

I said – and I'll copy & past it to make it quite clear to you again:
“Sorry bud, but until you grow a vagina, you're talking from the other camp about what it's like to be in mine. “

And until you do? You have as little ability to tell me what my experiences as a woman in the Tech field are as I have to tell an African American what his/hers are with any authority.

But since you are going to just insult me rather than actually address what I've said? I'm done with it. I don't bother to even attempt to discuss things with someone who doesn't bother to actually address what I've said.

I showed you an appropriate level of respect by 1) posting your comment no matter how offensive it was; and 2) responding to it.

If you dont understand why I found it offensive, then I am happy to explain. But, please reread the post. I am extremely specific about my reasons for wanting to go, primarily focused around learning. Yet, if I follow your logic, I have no chance of learning anything because I dont have a vagina.

And that, my friend, is bullshit.

You and I are going to have to agree to disagree. But in the future? You could try to refrain from calling my perspective on something “Bullshit” when it differs from yours.

I've shown you a level of respect that you aren't showing me. And if you think that sort of interaction is acceptable to me, you are incorrect.

I suppose it's your prerogative in your blog – but to be honest? It makes me less likely to continue reading it or to comment in the future.

“I think that is such bullshit.” was your response to what I said about why women choose to attend the event.

Try to find where I said “you can't learn anything because you don't have a vagina.” Go ahead. Try. Because I'm VERY careful about what I say and how I say it – and I've never said that to anyone in my life.

I said – and I'll copy & past it to make it quite clear to you again:
“Sorry bud, but until you grow a vagina, you're talking from the other camp about what it's like to be in mine. “

And until you do? You have as little ability to tell me what my experiences as a woman in the Tech field are as I have to tell an African American what his/hers are with any authority.

But since you are going to just insult me rather than actually address what I've said? I'm done with it. I don't bother to even attempt to discuss things with someone who doesn't bother to actually address what I've said.

I showed you an appropriate level of respect by 1) posting your comment no matter how offensive it was; and 2) responding to it.

If you dont understand why I found it offensive, then I am happy to explain. But, please reread the post. I am extremely specific about my reasons for wanting to go, primarily focused around learning. Yet, if I follow your logic, I have no chance of learning anything because I dont have a vagina.

And that, my friend, is bullshit.

You and I are going to have to agree to disagree. But in the future? You could try to refrain from calling my perspective on something “Bullshit” when it differs from yours.

I've shown you a level of respect that you aren't showing me. And if you think that sort of interaction is acceptable to me, you are incorrect.

I suppose it's your prerogative in your blog – but to be honest? It makes me less likely to continue reading it or to comment in the future.

For a “excluded” group to create a “exclusionary” group in order to feel “included” is just flawed.

Why the desire to separate? Why not a desire to integrate?

Also, if I followed your logic, there is no value in my attending until I underwent a sex change operation, but I could never understand the issues, or attempt to learn from the attendees.

I will say it once, and I will say it again. Bullshit.

Never is a long time.

“#1 speaker was a woman” is not the same thing as “women are playing on an equal field when it comes to speaking engagements..”

You can speak to why *you* as a man find BlogHer compelling – you can not tell me why I as a woman do – or why the other women I've spoken to at length about this do.

Sorry bud, but until you grow a vagina, you're talking from the other camp about what it's like to be in mine.