Does equality in the workplace really mean an even split?
I am completely conflicted at the moment. There’s a campaign running to encourage more girls into careers in technology. Apparently the ratio of women to men in the tech industry is decreasing year on year. So on the face of it it sounds like a good campaign, doesn’t it? Something I should support. But despite being a woman who works in technology, I find it extremely difficult to support this campaign. This probably surprises you, so let me tell you a little more about my past, and how I’ve come to feel this way…
Growing up in the seventies, I thought at the time I was a bit of a tomboy, although looking back now I think I had a pretty balanced childhood. I had a great collection of matchbox cars, I played cowboys and indians, I played with lego, I had riding and dancing lessons and I loved outdoor play. When I was older the home computing revolution started, and I loved it. I played The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy on my Dad’s Amstrad PCW, and then my parents bought me an Acorn Electron (which was fun, but didn’t get the cool games that the ZX Spectrum had).
My individuality showed when I picked my A-Level subjects. Maths, further maths and physics were a given – they were my best subjects at O-Level. But for my fourth subject I didn’t choose chemistry like everyone else, I chose French. Because I enjoyed it, and I didn’t like chemistry. I had to push a little bit to get that combination, as my sixth form college thought I should do chemistry. But I got my way 
. And I saw first hand that the split of the genders of students of these subjects was anything but equal. My maths class had I think about 10 of us in total, 2 girls. In Physics there were probably 20 in the class, 3 of which were girls. My French class was a similar size – 20, or slightly more, but only 2 boys.
When I was studying for my A-Levels there was a big campaign running to get more women into scientific jobs. Fairly regularly over the two years I would arrive at my physics classroom to find three desks had leaflets on – the three desks belonging to the girls in the class. The leaflets were all trying to encourage us into scientific careers because we were female. There was never any attempt to quantify what unique skills we had that the men didn’t have, so it felt to me like we were only being encouraged to “even up the numbers a bit”. It felt like it didn’t matter whether I was good at science or not, it was just the fact that I was female that meant I was wanted. And I really resented that. I hated being singled out for special attention amongst my peers. I felt uncomfortable with the whole thing. And it put me off a scientific career. To me, the entire campaign failed because it was focussed on the wrong thing.
Men and women are not created equal. I know I’m generalising horribly here, but I truly believe we have different skills and strengths. Equality in employment does not mean a 50/50 split of men and women in every possible career. I am a great believer in picking the right person for the job, irrespective of gender, race, or anything else. Since time began there have been careers that have played more to women’s strengths, and those that have played more to men’s. Don’t get me wrong, I think technology is a great career for a man or a woman, and I personally have never been made to feel out of place in my career. Perhaps I don’t see it, as I’m hardly the target audience, but I’m not aware of large campaigns to get more men into midwifery, for example. So why does there seem to be a perpetual push to get women into particular careers?
As a woman in technology I don’t want to feel that I got any job “to even out the numbers”. I want to think that I was the right person for the job, on a level playing field. So when the latest “let’s get more girls into technology” initiative started, I rolled my eyes. Please. It’s the 21st century. If women want to succeed in a technical career, the last thing they want to hear is that there are campaigns to tailor teaching specifically for them. If a woman is going to succeed in a technical career, she’s got to be considered equal to her male counterparts that she’ll be competing against for jobs all the way through her life. It’s not the best start to that career to start saying “oh we need to change the curriculum to make it more accessible to girls” really, is it? Because if they’re anything like me, the last thing that technically-minded girls want is to be singled out and have a fuss made of them because they’re a girl.
So please, if there’s going to be a campaign to encourage people into technology careers, let’s not limit it to women. Let’s take the opportunity to make a career in technology accessible to ANYBODY who wants one.
OK, rant over. If you’re interested in this debate, there’s a Twitter discussion being held tomorrow, February 7th, between 1pm and 2pm (UK time). It’s hosted by my friend Mediocre Mum, who is working with the team from Lady Geek to research why girls do not tend to consider careers in IT/Tech and what can be done to change this. Watch our for the hashtasg #LittleMissGeek.
Image credit: Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
I know where you’re coming from because I’ve always hated positive discrimination in the IT Industry it just pisses me off for the same reasons. But I think it’s more of a case of getting women away from ‘traditional’ English/History/Media Studies degrees and trying to get them into Computer Science Degrees which I suspect isn’t really being suggested at schools at all to them at all.
Which is what happened to me, it was never an option at my school to do Physics or Chemistry GCSE’s or A-Levels (underfunding such fun!) so I was told to do an English/History degree and then fell into an IT Career later – I do get some odd looks at interview when they see what my degrees are in
I too came into IT later in life. And , like you, would like to feel that I’ve been chosen for the jobs I have done on my own merits, not because they needed to balance out the genders.
As a woman in IT I have found that I have had to work a little harder to prove myself, epecially to some of the more die-hard old IT people.
I’m not sure there is any campaign which will make more of one gender do a particular job. You’re either interested in something or you aren’t.
We have a similar problem in the motor industry. I take a slightly different view Ruth after a long time chewing over the sexist vs business issues.
The motor industry is perceived to be too blokey in terms of garage/car sales service levels by most women. Research confirms that women tend to trust women more in these circumstances. And perhaps men do too
. So we need more women in the industry but they perceive it to be too male oriented to have much appeal. Women at the top sometimes out-bloked the men to get there and think that others should go through the same hoops. And it’s easier for women to choose careers that are more welcoming.
I believe the challenge is therefore to identify the genuinely ‘female friendly’ businesses (same as in computer industry) and encourage others to understand what women customers/employees want. It’s not compulsory to employ women to be female friendly but the business case is compelling. Get it right for women = better ROI because women are THE gender spenders/influencers.
Unfortunately it’s true. In IT there are so few woman. I have worked in my current place for 11 years and I have only seen 1 woman developer and not one engineer. We get thousands of CV through for a job we have not long filled and only 1 female applied. I don’t feel I was chosen for my current job because I am female however, I got it because I proved I could do it. But I do know where you are coming from and I think if I went back out onto the job market I would find this. x
I recently posted about a conversation that happened in the staffroom at school. Background to this is that I am ICT co-ordinator in the school, and maybe due to the teachings from my software developer/technical manager husband or maybe my own ability, I’m good at my job. Most people will admit in the school that I’m the best ICT co-ordinator they’ve had in the past ten years, because I actually understand ICT, hardware, software, and most elements of the Internet. I’m often found fixing problems that arise or with my head deep in discussion with the technician we hire in once a week, because I get it. My role should be to co-ordinate the teaching of the subject, which I of course do, but because I have a comprehension of the technology I’m also the geek.
This year, the female headteacher has made one of the new teachers (male and 30yrs old) my shadow ICT co-ordinator, as I’m pretty sure that she is coaching him for the role. To be perfectly frank, I’m so fed-up of changing the toner cartridges for incompetent members of staff that I’m letting him do the donkey work. Additionally as a part-time member of staff, it’s hard for me to be a point of contact.
I was sat in the staffroom one lunchtime talking to my shadow co-ordinator, and another male teacher (26yr old & he was caretaker of my role while I was on maternity leave. However, he all but let the role disintegrate, such was his incompetence), when the male deputy head walked in and started talking to the pair of them about technology. He completely ignored me, he doesn’t like that I know more than him. Several teachers saw my face, saw the conversation and sat and waited. He finished the conversation and turned to the microwave. My shadow turned to me and asked me a question to which I responded that I couldn’t possibly speak to him about technology as I didn’t have a penis. Both young male teachers spluttered over their cheese sandwiches and roared with laughter. I know the deputy heard me, as did half the staffroom, and I hope my point was made.
Jobs, regardless of field, should be given based on the competence of the candidates not based on gender, race, age or region. I was astounded to see an outcry that not more people were employed by the BBC in Salford when they moved into Media City. If they don’t have the skills, why the hell should they employ them? Because it looks good? Ridiculous!
Sorry, I’ve ranted!
Interesting topic. I started working in the IT industry (albeit on the maketing side of things) in 1990 when there was very few women working in the industry in NZ. Those who were involved were typically demonstrators seen as the ‘trolly dollies’ who were ‘wheeled out’ to put a pretty face on the tech to potential customers. As a Brand Manager I fought considerable discrimination including one incident where a sales managerr attempted assault AT WORK. Interestingly, I was asked to leave two weeks after reporting the incident to HR. Despite these experiences, I also am queasy about positive discrimination. My view is that if you get your role because the company had to fulfil a quota then you haven’t earnt it. Wouldn’t it be better to go back to the school yard and encourage girls there? My 11 yr old daughter is hell bent on having a job in IT and is completely ignorant of any reason why she shouldn’t go into that field, despite her gender. Vix x
I totally get where you are coming from on this, and women should be considered on an equivalent basis to men when it comes to jobs, but I do agree with the initiative.
I find it hard to understand why girls are not entering into technology subjects, I know my ( all girls ) school massively encouraged us to study separate sciences and maths/further maths, but perhaps this is not the case everywhere?
I have also been very impressed with my sons school ( he is in far R ) who seem to be teaching problem solving and science from an early age, so I can’t quite place where the issue lies…..
I’m pretty sure what I have written makes no sense, I do feel very conflicted on this, BUT encouraging girls to develop an interest in science/tech can only be a good thing can’t it?
I talked about this a bit on audioboo today. I agree with you that we need to ensure that both girls and boys are encouraged to make choices that are right for them as individuals. And in particular, teenagers should be advised not to close down options for themselves in terms of GCSE and A-level choices.
I’m quite jealous you got to do French with Maths & Physics. I got pushed down the Maths, Physics, Chemistry route even though I was one of the best at French in my year. Managed to do a Working Italian module as part of my Physics degree though, so that was some consolation.
I did encounter some older male academics who were terribly sexist. The worst was the chap at UMIST who said on the open day that it was ‘nice to see some girls here today’ and that ‘girls are very welcome on the course, because they brighten the place up’!!!! Needless to say, I did not end applying for UMIST. But I didn’t really let this kind of nonsense bother me very much.
That said, I do think it is an issue for children and teenagers if they don’t see examples of people of their gender doing certain roles. For example the lack of male teachers in primary schools seems to be self-perpetuating.