The male perspective on women in tech

Not only with the female founders I talk about being a women in the tech scene. When I talk to men about the topic, often the response is: We want diversity in our team. Most times with the addition that diversity is not only based on gender, but also background. ‘The diversity of your team will create the product,’ explains an interviewee. Even though they want diverse teams, there is a supply problem.

More often men explain that women and men are different. ‘When two men talk to each other they exchange only information. Women are also exchanging emotions,’ says an interviewee, and someone else points out that ‘females are generally much better than males in many aspects: Communication, the ability to process multiple things, empathy, the ability to capture non-verbal communication and the ability to describe intangible concepts.’

The assumption that when talking about gender I talk about the team, instead of other founders, is made every time. When I shift the topic towards female founders specifically the reactions differ. Many male entrepreneurs answer with answers as: ‘I know them, they are successful.’ or express that they believe that women have a more difficult time, doing the exact same thing. One interviewee says: ‘Being a white male entrepreneur, I get automatic credit.’ There are also people who call them more ‘manly’ or ‘manlike’ and one respondent says ‘I think they are super hot,’ and giggles. They make a difference between ‘normal’ women, and female entrepreneurs.