If you take a close look at tech companies in the Silicon Valley and in tech hubs around the country and world, it is evident the tech side of the tech industry is a male dominated environment. It wasn’t always this way. In the 1980’s women made up 37% of all computer programmers. So, why the drop off?
In my Fast company interview with Jane Porter, we take a closer look at the evolution of computer programming and how CODE: Debugging the Gender Gap is making it its’ mission to “understand why the coding industry can be so unwelcoming to women.” We discussed the impact of ingrained stereotypes and how the male-centric ambiance in technology companies act as a deterrent. Across 34 countries, 70% of men and women feel that science is more male than female. In reality, men are not innately better at math or science, it is actually deeply embedded cultural biases that create this perception.
As I said, "it really starts with our bringing boys home in blue blankets and bringing girls home in pink blankets.”
But the issue goes beyond cultural biases and pink and blue blankets. The need and potential for female programmers, coders, and computer scientists is immense. In the next six years, there will be 1 million unfilled computer science jobs in the United States. It is time for women to break the stereotypes, be confident in their abilities and find their way back into the tech field, to continue the great contributions they have historically made to computer technology.
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