Webjitsu

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How NOT to get women in tech

It’s no secret that tech is largely a boys club. Predominantly a white boys club. We could most definitely do with more diversity in all fronts: more women, more people of color, more age groups, etc.

But please, please, if you or your company want to address this issue, don’t just do it to cash in by jumping into the bandwagon. And even if that is your ultimate reason, please try and do a good job about it so your insincerity is not so painfully obvious.

What do I mean? I mean that if you want to name examples of notable women in tech or science to inspire young girls, don’t be so damn lazy and pick more recent and relevant examples than Ada Lovelace.

Yes, Ada’s story is fundamental and inspiring, but a high school girl in 2019 reading about how STEM is not just for boys, and having the only woman named be a 19th century mathematician, is most likely only gonna be bummed about the whole thing.

There’s plenty of women to choose from, for whom we have actual photographs to go along the text, instead of oil paintings: Margaret Hamilton, Katherine Johnson, Susan Kare or Megan Smith to name just a few. Hell, these past few days just gave us the amazing Katie Bouman. I’d bet it’s hard to get a more fitting example to get young girls into science today.

All it takes is a little time and will to do it right.