MIND THE GAP
Although figures are slowly changing, there is a still male domination in technological industries. The popular belief so far conceives that the affinities of women and men are innate. That is, issues such as men are more skillful for science and women for social activities or care are taken as part of our nature. The reality is that these concepts are learned since an early age when for example girls should play at being princesses and boys at being astronauts. In this way the interests are in some way, driven by established social paradigms. Within this context, a survey made by The Guardian, relay that 73% of people consider that the software industry is sexist. 52% are aware that women earn less for the same work and 45% of women are more likely to leave work due to a hostile environment or isolation. The balance in the spaces occupied in the technology industry is important, but it is also important to generate quality for women in these jobs: equal opportunity for growth, same wages for the same types of work, protection for women in situations of abuse to name but a few. As the COO of Facebook Sheryl Sanberg said “No industry or country can reach its full potential until women rich their own potential. This is especially true of science and technology, where women with a surplus of talent still face a deficit of opportunity”. Nowadays there are some organizations that are dedicated to promote and encourage girls towards the study of programming and STEM subjects. Girls who code is a US non-profit organisation that runs summer programmes teaching programming skills to high school girls. Another example is I WISH. This one is an Irish initiative that hopes to encourage female students to study STEM careers. All in all, I strongly believe that the change of cultural and educational paradigms will help to a more egalitarian society.
