y 11yo boy installed Linux on his own onto a Windows PC. He thinks Linux is simpler than Windows because you can do stuff from the command line rather than dealing with a GUI. He has already programmed in Scratch, Basic, C, and Python. I bet far more 11yo boys than girls have done those things.
I am sure you're right. But for an 11yo boy to do these things, someone has to introduce him to these concepts and he has to think they are socially acceptable to do. You brought your son to these things to some extent, I am very sure. It may also be the case that his peer group is interested in them or they are dicussed in his peer group. All this is less likely for girls. Culturally, there is a divide. Children at the age of 9-11 are very gender-segregated, which I personally find annoying (and btw all the pink/blue toys and "men and women are from different planets" stuff doesn't help, IMO). If computers are not what is done by girls, then computers will not be what is done by (most) girls. It doesn't mean girls can't do it, it means they won't-- just as most 9-11 yo boys will not be found refining their drawing skills by drawing outfits and manga girls or practicing their singing in chorus or private voice lessons or their ballet. (But they could, if they wanted to.) Your argument doesn't really make a lot of sense to me.
