From watching on the wall I've seen brogrammer used in various contexts (this is not an exhaustive list):
- Someone who is a programmer but follows a hypermasculine cliche and makes sure everyone knows about it.
- An insult used by other developers for someone who is more physically fit or interested in their health than themselves.
- An insult used by engineers or other people who are not happy with the over representation of men in the industry. So everyone is lumped in the category.
- Someone who is obsessed with the technology and trying to grind their skills on it to an excessive level.
Brogrammer here. I recognize that I spend 12 hours a day writing code (and loving it) as a fun thing but also a danger if I do it all sitting down. I stay busy and incorporate workouts into my day.
I don’t take it as a pejorative, it’s an acknowledgement of my efforts to be even considered in this category. For those wondering I have a family, and have healthy activities otherwise. No cool diets or bioscience, just code, physical activity and coffee/water.
This isn’t a lifestyle I’m saying everyone should do, only that people should do what makes them happiest and most fulfilled for their set of goals.
I always think of “bro” as being a hyper version of “dude.” It’s generically applied to any random person, but it’s also exclusively male. So using it implies “this ingroup is assumed to be 100% male.”
On the other hand, I’ve seen and heard “dude” and “guy” used by and applied to women by other women. Not common but it happens. But I’ve never heard “bro” used that way.
- Someone who is a programmer but follows a hypermasculine cliche and makes sure everyone knows about it.
- An insult used by other developers for someone who is more physically fit or interested in their health than themselves.
- An insult used by engineers or other people who are not happy with the over representation of men in the industry. So everyone is lumped in the category.
- Someone who is obsessed with the technology and trying to grind their skills on it to an excessive level.