The challenge of getting more women in tech needs to involve the whole community - investors, entrepreneurs, engineers, both male and female. It cannot be a female only dialogue. I am a technical woman founder myself. And,my biggest challenge is fighting those subtle biases that men have. When I am in a meeting with investors, I find that I am treated in a patronizing fashion vs my male co-founders. Whenever the investor is speaking, he's addressing my male colleagues more and I am ignored. The only way to fight these is to make men aware of how they behave. Women already know it, since they are at the receiving end. Hence, I do not like closed, women only conferences.
Did they actually say anything to you?
Or are you basing this from lack of eye contact and making the assumption they disregard you?
I treat everyone equally, because everyone is only human. And it doesn't matter if you're a man or woman, everyone can display ignorance.
Things are getting better for women because everyone is buying into equal everything without regard to qualifications. I'm not saying we shouldn't pursue more equality in the workplace, but which kind should be in question more so. If you look at 2 scales, and then keep trying to add more to one without looking at the other, you'll never notice it until it's too late.
It's great to hear that more female founders are applying. I hope this will have a snowball effect.
As a female University Student in Software Engineering, I have seen the interest and enrolment of female students in CS programs grow exponentially over four years. When first year and high school students have role models in upper years, they can imagine themselves in similar paths.
4 comments
[ 3.8 ms ] story [ 23.8 ms ] thread