Past Gender Inequality in the Tech Industry
Technology has often been seen as a man’s world, but we now know this is not the case. Millions of women worldwide have an interest in tech, but it took some time for the rest of the world to catch up with this.
Women have been working within tech since the industry itself began. Even hundreds of years ago, when technology was in its infancy, women still played a role in its advancement. In the 1700s, French astronomer and mathematician Nicole-Reine Lepautre used the timing of the solar eclipse to predict the return of Halley’s comet past Earth almost perfectly. And, when electronic technology became commercialized, women were there, too.
Back in the 1950s, many women worked in software development, though this was viewed as a menial job, so hardware creation was more of a man’s job. It wasn’t until the 1980s that men realized how changes in software development could revolutionize tech, so software became the name of the game. But this view that women were better suited to carrying out what was perceived as more basic jobs spoke volumes about the gender inequality within the industry at that point in time.
The idea of technology being for men didn’t fade in the decades following, either. In the 1990s, Jane Margolis, a researcher of segregation and inequality, conducted a study wherein she interviewed hundreds of computer science students at Carnegie Mellon University. The study showed that families were far more likely to buy computers for boys rather than girls, indicating that people still thought women weren’t suited for the field of tech.
But did the turn of the century finally bring a wave of equality for women in tech?
How Things Changed in the 21st Century for Women in Tech
Over the past few decades, conversations surrounding sexism and misogyny have resulted in major changes in the western world. Women are now taken far more seriously when they raise concerns about safety or discrimination, and views on women within the tech industry are changing, too.
Figures now show that the gender gap within the tech industry is indeed closing. Between 2018 and 2020, there was a reported 2.9% increase in female employees in tech, with predictions that there should be around three million young women working in tech by the year 2030. But to most, this change just isn’t happening quickly enough.
While we can get excited about the slowly shrinking gender gap, we simply cannot ignore the problems that still stand. PWC has reported that a shocking 78% of students cannot name a woman who has gained notoriety in the tech industry. On top of this, PWC reported that women hold only 5% of leadership positions within the tech industry. These figures are worrying, to say the least.
On top of this, women were, on average, offered a 2.5% lower annual salary than men when applying for a tech job in 2020, which shows that the gender pay gap is still very much an issue in our current times. And, with a reported 50% of women leaving their tech jobs by the age of 35, there are surely reasons why gender inequality in tech still remains.
The Problems Faced by Women in the Tech Industry
So, what factors are preventing the closure of the gender gap in tech? Firstly, it’s important to address the discrimination that women still face regularly.
In a report by CWJobs, it was stated that a third of women within the tech industry had been asked if their mood was related to their time of the month. On top of this, CWJobs reported that over half of women in tech say that someone has implied their gender may prohibit their career. This kind of behavior not only discourages women from working in tech but makes it hard for them to advance in their careers.
Consider the fact that 44% of women say gender discrimination in tech is a major problem, compared with just 29% of men. This means that over 70% of men don’t think women deal with any prejudice when working tech jobs. Additionally, the fact that a third of women, compared with 19% of men, say there is more gender discrimination against women in tech than in other industries indicates that there is a big issue here that needs to be tackled. So, what can be done?
What Can be Done to Tackle Gender Discrimination in Tech?
This question will never have a simple answer in a real-world setting. Tackling gender discrimination in the tech industry requires the implementation of anti-discrimination policies, extra support of female staff, and a continued effort to close the employment and wage gap that still exists.
Many state that diversifying the kind of people who conduct job interviews can also help in giving women the same chance at getting a position as men. On top of this, reevaluating company practices and putting diversity at the forefront of a company’s values can also play a big role in allowing women (and minority groups) to feel equally respected and considered in the tech industry.
Along with gender inequality, the issue of racial inequality must also be seriously considered by businesses around the world to give people of color the ability to gain a strong foothold in all industries. Tech leaders need to make an effort to give minorities a chance of succeeding in their desired field to make the tech industry a truly fair and equal place.
In short, the lack of equality within the tech industry is still very much apparent, and so the necessary steps need to be taken to ensure that women and minorities no longer have to face discrimination in their workplace.
Let’s Close the Tech Industry Gender Gap
While gender equality has come a long way over the past century, there are still glaring issues that need to be tackled. There needs to be joined effort among both women and men to work towards a fair and equal future for both sexes within the technology industry. Otherwise, thousands of bright women will continue to face unnecessary obstacles in their bid to have a successful career in tech.
