There is a perception amongst some guys in IT that women aren't capable enough to be great programmers. Hence they either don't strive to higher positions (and higher wages) or they are deliberately kept down.

I've seen it happen on a few occasions and it's really disheartening to watch them get screwed over.

I've certainly seen that attitude in a (thankfully) very small number of the engineers I've worked with, and never systemically.

Most of the female engineers I've worked with were of a far higher standard than the people that held those opinions.

--edit-- to be clear I'm not trying to say it can't or doesn't happen systemically, it's just that either I've been lucky in where I've worked or it's not been obvious to me. But then I'm a guy and I've never been in management positions.

I've noticed the same, that all but one of the female engineers I worked with were of a far higher standard. That is pretty damning to me though - only those that are really dedicated end up staying. I think it goes to show that the environments that I worked in aren't all that great, and that the 'feeder' channels, third level, other companies, aren't that great for women. The argument that held most sway with me til the recent social media boom was that women were too smart to get involved in IT (more sense to do medicine), but that doesn't seem to hold any water now that other industries are lagging.

Oh I didn't necessarily mean the women I've worked with in the past had to be at a higher than average standard or hugely dedicated to stay in the industry. I've worked with a whole spectrum of abilities of both men and women.

I was more implying that the guys that felt the need to belittle women were usually pretty damn awful themselves.

But you may well be on to something there anyway...