@Elisabeth: It was great to see you 'climbing' the stage and let's go on having fun in rising above our conditioning since that is the right to do indeed

Hi, yes, it is a puzzle why women are not featured more as conference speakers. I suspect an unconscious and old-fashioned bias - women are perceived historically as nurturers/seducers rather than authorities. I had some interesting conversations at BLOG08 on the subject - speaker Loren Feldman said (when I asked from the floor why there was only one female speaker) that men are more insecure and need the limelight more. I thought this was funny as women are also insecure and need the limelight! Sadly they get more attention for the way they look than the way their brains work - it's that unconscious bias again. Another guy said that gender is not an issue because we are all people. Another guy said: women do not want to speak publicly. A female wondered if it is the 'fault' of women for not putting themselves forward and being confident enough. Females indeed get a different upbringing and culture and are taught to put others first and not be authorities - but hey, we all can rise above our conditioning! Anyway, I am glad I questioned the lack of females and that BLOG08 responded by asking me on stage...that was a good moment for me. It's so easy to feel like the complaining female when you voice these things (one woman did actually call me a 'nag' in the Twitter feed!) and who wants to be a nag!? So I was grateful for all the support I got both before and after. Thank you. (My blog on the female thing http://tinyurl.com/6667e6; and my round up of BLOG08 at http://tinyurl.com/6l93u8).

@Donna, I totally agree with you about the gender-issue that I failed to see too. I am a connecting rather than a splitting everything up kind of person but then again things don't seem to change really and there were hardly any women there last friday so that's why I did ask 'where were you?'.

Hi, first of all let me commend you on your blog, truly global, tech savvy, and a great read.
Now to your subject of the absent female bloggers at conferences? The first time I live-blogged at a tech start up event, the other two (Male) bloggers, one of whom I interviewed by the way, both commented "Wow a female blogger and a paid one at that!" I was puzzled and let the comment sit for awhile while I ruminated on it.
On my return I wrote articles on Blogher, some of which were not received very well. I failed to see why gender should once again come into this and why we must separate out into gender camps. The catfight that ensued at the last Blogher convinced me that this was not the right direction. There are some truly amazing women who blog, most of whom don't get column space. I'd be happy to write on some of these heroes in a guest post. Thanks for your interest.
Donna Jackson
Social Communications Specialist
www.wisequeen.com