How to Fix the Gender Gap in Tech
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We all know about the staggering gender gap in the tech sector. Yet despite efforts of initiatives such as Code Ed, Code Now and Microsoft’s Digigirlz, the percentage of women in computing is projected to decrease from 24% to 22% in 2025.
Just to put this into perspective- it used to be 37% in 1995. If anything, these numbers show that it is not enough to encourage girls to take an occasional coding class. We need to talk about what prevents them to make a career out of it.
Addressing the gender gap in tech requires acknowledging the greater cultural and societal structures perpetuating it. From an early age onwards, girls are not exposed to technology the same way boys are. Girls play with dolls, boys with trucks and robots — what seems harmless often sets the paradigms for interacting with technology later in life.
Addressing the gender gap in tech requires acknowledging the greater cultural and societal structures perpetuating it
A study of primary school children found that when asked to portray a scientist, the majority of children drew a middle- aged white man in a lab coat. Perhaps unsurprisingly then, at that age children already consider boys to be better at technological subjects than girls. These biases have immediate real- world consequences. According to Toni Schmader, a professor at the University of British Columbia, “stereotypes can play an important role in constraining children’s beliefs of what they can and cannot do”. A study by the Los Angeles Times found that the stronger girls’ gender stereotypes about robotics and programming were, the less they believed that they were skilled at these activities. As children’s rights activist Marian Wright Edelman put it “You can’t be what you can’t see”.
By the time they reach high school, most students associate computer science and engineering with geeky men. Pop culture emphasizes this perception. From comics and computer games to stories of CEOs- most of tech culture caters almost exclusively to men. As a result, these subjects are some of the most gender- skewed AP classes in the US. Only 27% of students taking the AP computer science test are female. As recently as 2016, eight US states had fewer than 10 girls take the test.
This continues in college, where women only earn 35% of the undergraduate degrees in STEM. In computer sciences, this number is even lower. Sadly, the few women who do pursue a career in tech against all odds often find that the structures in big tech companies make it difficult for them to excel at work.
By the time they reach high school, most students associate computer science and engineering with geeky men
There is no quick fix for this problem. But acknowledging its cultural and structural roots is a beginning. This starts with access to computers and goes all the way to improving the culture in tech companies. And it requires a joint effort of parents, politicians and industry. Parents can expose girls to technology from an early age onwards. Politicians can ensure that school curricula champion female role models from the tech sphere- whether that’s a female teacher or a historical figure. The success of movies such as “Hidden Figures” illustrates the demand for stories like that. Finally, the tech industry can support its women by promoting mentorship, access to networks and a more inclusive work culture. These efforts will pay off in the long run. Staying competitive in a knowledge economy requires us to develop the potential of every single child- whether male or female. We simply cannot afford to leave half of the population behind.
Klara Marie Schroeder is a Consultant at TLGG Consulting New York.
