Back in 2018, I wrote a literature review about the lack of women in technology. It was the academic research behind my thesis project, which was this website. At the time, there were many (maybe too many) websites and programs that were trying to tackle the issue of the lack of women in technology; so many organizations and companies were trying to crack the code of how to get more women into technology and STEM fields.
One of the things that I uncovered was that women are initially interested in technology but do not sustain their interest enough to enter and remain in the field. One of the contributing factors that drive women away from the industry was a lack of female role models and mentors.
So, fast forward to 2023…. and despite all of the programs and websites (many of which have fizzled out, mine included) the problem is worse, instead of better. The pandemic is a major contributor to this.
Key Statistics (Source):
- As per the latest data, women hold just 26.7% of tech-related jobs.
- Women in big tech jobs decreased by 2.1% between 2020 and 2022, with smaller tech companies receiving the most significant decrease at 5.1%.
- In 2020, more than 1.2 million parents exited the workforce, with working mothers making up around 75% of that figure.
- 54% of women surveyed report that pandemic conditions made it challenging to stay employed in tech positions.
Also, I have not seen any increase in prominent female technology figures to help sustain women’s drive and inspiration to pursue technology. These figures are still absent in everyday society and rarely seen in the media.
If you cannot see it you cannot be it! When the popular television show CSI featured women forensic investigators, it caused more women to enter the industry (aka the CSI effect). We need something similar to inspire the next generation of women technology professionals.
I have always believed in the power of one’s story. I have seen sharing and listening to stories bond people and change people in powerful ways. I have seen it evoke vulnerability, empathy and connection. And there is evidence that it is good for your mental and physical health to share your story. There are so many women in technology, art and community who are doing incredible things that inspire me on a daily basis, and I want to share that, as well as a little bit of myself.
So, I am rebooting this blog and expanding it to include women in art and community, two other areas of underrepresentation.
Don’t get me wrong, I understand that the lack of women in technology is an intensely complex issue, with many causes and no singular solution. But, dusting off my website and introducing the world to more women who are killin’ it in technology, art and community can’t hurt the cause.
… And inspired by Women’s History Month, I made a playlist of some of my favorite female punk artists to share. Enjoy!