Where Are Black Women In Tech?
Black women in the tech industry have been systemically challenged by the patriarchal and racist ideals in which the industry was built upon; ideals that gave rise to many oppressive stereotypes. Being built on racist patriarchy, the tech industry innately adopted an oppressive nature where white male dominance, male identification, male centeredness, and control are valued. Because of this system, men simply can’t suffer gender oppression, but rather, can suffer based on their race or class. Women on the other hand experience the full spectrum of oppression. Considering how race, class, and gender contribute to the discrimination and disadvantages one experiences in society (a term we call intersectionality), it is important to acknowledge the unique experiences of Black women in the tech industry, and through their lens, be able to see how stereotypes devalue and neglect the layers of their individuality.
In Western culture history, all genders that are not male and all races that are not white, have been systemically oppressed in one way or another. The intersections for Black women is a space where marginalization occurs through many forms in and out of the tech field. One form would be the stereotypes in which society functions through to judge individuals based on their gender, race, sexuality, and class. These stereotypes reinforce societal conventions and normative ideologies that represent individuals in reduced terms.
All forms of stereotypes contribute to the oppressive system and harm those trying to navigate through it; even positive stereotypes such as “Asians are good at math” (last time I checked, I am still 100% Asian and 100% still bad at math). Stereotypes like these can contribute to one’s self-fulfilling prophecy. For example, in Brigid Schulte’s Washington Post article on Black and Latina women scientist, a study showed the “standard” image of a scientist was always a white man in a lab coat. Similarly, in Margolis’ “Racial Divide” students of color reported to believe that the computer science industry was primarily Caucasian. The imagery of another white male in a position of power being the norm is limiting, because from a young age, Black women that want to pursue similar goals must break free from the norm and challenge stereotypical ideologies while having limited resources, role models, and social support.
A statistic in Brigid Schulte’s article states that, in a scientific lab 48% of scientist whom are Black women, are mistaken for administrative or custodial staff. This is one of many examples how negative stereotypes represent Black women in reduced terms and expectations for the presence of Black women in a “prestigious” work setting is low. These statistics devalue the efforts Black women put forth coming from a marginalized group to get where they are today. A statistic has the power to neglect one’s individuality and makes others believe similar people fall into that category, conforming to a certain way of thinking.
Today there is a significant underrepresentation of Black women in the tech industry likely caused by all the hoops and hurdles needed jump through to get in. The stereotypes around Black women reflect the social inequities the tech industry is rooted in. While we are in “progressive” times, Fast Company business magazine article “There are now fewer black women in tech than 10 years ago,” reports shocking data pulled from the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) that there has been a 13% decrease in the number of Black women in tech between 2007 and 2015. According to the Fast Company article, in recent history the tech industry has seen white women become more successful than minority groups showing some progression towards equality. If there is a way to deconstruct the oppressive patriarchal systems the tech industry was built upon, it would be through the empowerment of oppressed groups and the tech industry developing more leaders that are women. This way, despite societal and stereotypical norms, the tech industry can slowly progress towards equality and separate itself from its racist and patriarchal past.
