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All right, everybody! Good morning! It's still morning. I was here a few months ago for Boulder Startup, and I really love Boulder. Everybody warned me about the altitude sickness, and I thought, 'Oh, I'll just own it!' The first time I was here, I was pretty okay, but last night I totally fell prey to it. So I promise I will never make fun of you for how you feel when you're hungover ever again. It's just not fun.
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So, my name is Ashe Dryden. I talk a lot about diversity in tech. I myself am a Rubyist and have been a programmer for 12 years. This topic is especially important to me because I am a woman and I am a queer person, but also because I care a lot about the people around me and I want to see everybody have the same access that I've had. Before we get started, I just want to thank a few people.
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I've been very lucky to tour around the world and talk about diversity because a lot of companies have sponsored me to do this. So it's like my NASCAR wall. I don't work for anyone; these people enable me to do that. Thank you! My name is Ashe Dryden, and I'm Ashe Dryden pretty much everywhere online. If you have any questions, just a heads up: I am hard of hearing, so if you don't mind moving forward and speaking really loudly before the end of the talk, that would make it easier for me.
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So, what is diversity? We talk a lot about diversity in tech, and particularly about women. We often ask, 'Where are the women in tech?' But when I say 'diversity,' I mean more than just gender. I mean a set of various backgrounds, experiences, and lifestyles that contribute to how we go through life. It’s important to remember that diversity isn't always visible. There are many aspects that you can't see about me that make me different from you.
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Diversity includes things like age—both young and old. If you look around the room, many people are probably at least 20 years old, with a cap around 45 or 50, creating a very big curve. There are a lot of people we might be missing. Diversity also includes physical and mental health, ability, sexuality, race, economic class, and education. Before we get started, I want to cover a few terms so we can all be on the same page about the discussions that we’re going to have later.
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Intersectionality is the idea that there are many traits about you when you are born or throughout your life that change the way society perceives you. It’s akin to a pancaking effect of different traits. It’s not just about being a person of color; it’s about being a person of color who also has disabilities or who is queer. The way the world looks at you can be different than how they view someone who is white and queer, for instance.
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So, what does this actually mean in terms of people? In the United States, women earn about 80.9 percent of what men earn. This percentage sounds better than it has been, but it has actually dropped in the past three years. We’ve gone back a little bit. This figure is after controlling for all other factors, including education, time spent in, and away from the industry, and experience. We understand what women make.
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However, the difference between what Latina women make and what white men make is huge. Imagine if tomorrow you went to work and your boss told you they've decided to cut your salary in half. Would you be able to pay your house or take care of your family? This impacts a lot of people. Additionally, the unemployment rate in the United States is about 7.5 percent, depending on who you ask. But for the blind community, it’s ten times that. There’s a massive difference.
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The next term we’ll talk about is privilege, and this is something that many of us discuss in the social justice movement. Privilege is essentially an unearned advantage that you get for being who you are or who you grew up to be. For example, I am a white person, and I have a lot of privilege because of that. The fact that I can stand on this stage and talk to you as a white person is significant. There are many people who do not share the same opportunities.
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What kinds of things do we get for that privilege? Better education, access to technology at an earlier age, higher pay, and assumed competency. We typically do not have to prove how smart we are. This distinction is crucial; it’s the difference between being a geek and being a girl geek. You don’t have to qualify the first one.
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Next up is the concept of stereotype threat. Most people know what a stereotype means, but stereotype threat is the worry that you will confirm a stereotype that exists about your group. Many of you might have seen the comic by xkcd depicting a man telling another man, "Wow, you suck at math," and on the other side, a man saying to a woman, "Wow, girls suck at math." This negative stereotype exists about women—that they aren’t good at math or programming. Research has shown that prompting a group based on race or gender and suggesting that another group excels in a certain area makes them perform worse, even if there’s no difference in ability.
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Stereotype threat can be quite detrimental. So let’s move on to imposter syndrome. This phenomenon affects everyone, regardless of race, gender, or life station. Imposter syndrome is the inability to internalize your successes. You’ll hear people say things like, “I’m really bad at programming,” or “I could never stand up and talk about what I do because people would jump all over me for being wrong.” This often happens to people who already face negative stereotypes. The pressure of listening to what society has to say about their abilities adds to these feelings of inadequacy.
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People experiencing imposter syndrome are less likely to apply for certain jobs, submit talks to conferences, or even attend conferences. So take a look around and notice who’s missing from your community. Another key term is marginalized. If you think of college-ruled notebook paper, the blue lines and pink lines represent the margins. Marginalized people fit into a group where their needs and concerns are pushed outside these boundaries and are often not given the same consideration as others.
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Society teaches us to overlook marginalized groups, and I’m sure you are sitting there thinking, “I’m logical and rational, and I don’t see gender and race.” But even scientists and STEM professors can fall into this trap, which brings us to a study done at Yale. They took two sets of professors, some of the smartest people in the country, and asked them which of two identical resumes they would prefer to hire. The only difference between the resumes was the name: one was 'John' and the other was 'Jennifer.' The results revealed that John was rated more favorably and offered a higher salary than Jennifer.
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This troubling finding indicates that even when qualifications are identical, biases influence decisions. The alarming aspect is that marginalized individuals sometimes do this to each other as well. In the same study, women rated women lower, and men did the same. Society teaches us to devalue certain individuals, making them worth less.
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So how diverse is tech now that we've established just how horrific this situation is? Unfortunately, many of the examples are U.S.-centric and primarily focused on women because that happens to be where most funding dollars come from. Looking at the tech population compared to the U.S. population, women make up about half of the U.S. population but represent significantly less in tech. For Black individuals, the figure mirrors this disparity; however, for Hispanics—who are one of the largest groups in the United States—they only make up about one-third of what they do in the U.S. population's representation in tech.
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Let’s take a closer look at women in the tech industry. They make up about 24 percent of the industry but only account for three percent of all open-source contributors. Consider how many jobs require you to have open-source contributions before applying. Do those contributions even exist for the people you're looking for? This issue isn't just limited to the U.S. In nations like India, around eight percent of computer science graduates are women; the U.S. sits at 17 percent. This figure has dramatically dropped over the last 30 years. In the U.K., it’s 18.2 percent, in France 20 percent, and in South Africa, it’s 25 percent. This problem is affected by various factors across many countries.
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Now, a common argument is that perhaps women just aren’t interested in programming. However, it’s noteworthy that the first compiler and the first programming language were both developed by women. If women were uninterested, why would they invent programming? Another argument is the fallacy that women are biologically predisposed against programming, which is a misconception that’s easily disproven by scientific evidence. Research has shown that there’s no physiological or biological difference in abilities to program based on race or gender.
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This insight is encouraging because it indicates that these issues are solvable and mainly due to social and cultural constructs. It's not about changing individuals but about adapting our approaches and environments. A country that demonstrates a different approach is Bulgaria. I was shocked to discover that in Bulgaria, parents equally encourage their daughters and sons to pursue STEM fields—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
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They don’t assign specific gender roles to these fields. Instead, they recognize the importance of rebuilding their country and improving their economy by engaging everyone in STEM. This suggests that we can also achieve similar levels of engagement if we focus our efforts appropriately.
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Why does diversity matter? Over the past day, I’ve met a lot of you. Many of us identify similarly; the vast majority are white, and many of us are male. A lot of you fit the programmer stereotype—a bit of a 'beard and glasses' complex.
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So to you, bearded and bespectacled folks: why does diversity matter to you? Does it really affect your life or your ability to do a good job? It does! Science has shown that as racial and gender diversity increases, so do sales revenue, customer numbers, market share, and profits compared to competitors. Diverse teams also perform better and solve complex problems more efficiently, which is critical for programmers.
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We are more creative and stimulated when exposed to minority viewpoints, fostering better decisions and innovation—extremely important as technology drives so many aspects of modern life across medicine, science, and finance. If we know diversity contributes to innovation and success, why aren't we striving for it?
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We understand that the financial success of a company relates directly to the diversity within its teams, yet the vast majority of our teams continue to look predominantly similar—often white males. I appreciate ‘beards and glasses,’ but I wish to see that diversity grow substantially.
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So where does the lack of diversity come from? I frequently discuss this issue, and many wonder where the real problem lies. One factor is the pipeline—a lack of diverse individuals coming into the field. Cultural cues inform us about the image of geeks; some look and act a certain way. Even in childhood, different toys are assigned to boys and girls, promoting the idea that certain groups should be constructing and inventing things.
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We also face a deficit of visible role models. There's limited access to technology, as, for example, boys often receive their first computer at age 11 while girls wait until 14. That’s a significant gap! Furthermore, many lower-income households suffer from lower computer ownership and broadband adoption rates. It may be challenging to cater to modern technological demands, and it’s a frustrating experience.
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Access to quality education plays a major role, too, and is one of the greatest indicators of earning potential. Many lower-income neighborhoods are experiencing library defunding and school closures. For instance, schools in Chicago have been closed, requiring students to travel hours to reach viable alternatives. Think about how that could impact their education and their future outlook!
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The statistics reveal that there’s about a 25 percent difference in readiness between African American and Hispanic students compared to their white peers when they enter college, meaning they start a year behind. Now, consider the rising costs of colleges and the disparity in wealth within communities. This situation is exacerbated by lack of access to healthcare for people of color, the LGBTQ community, and those with disabilities.
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That lack of access contributes to underemployment due to fear of losing healthcare. Consider too that many women are caregivers—responsible for children and elderly family members—which complicates their ability to take demanding jobs that require extended hours.
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It’s also crucial to recognize attraction issues. There’s a lack of visible role models in tech, which makes it difficult for many to perceive themselves in these roles. Unfortunately, we rarely see marginalized individuals represented at companies or conferences. The geek stereotype further plays a role in the lack of diversity in tech. Many of the portrayals in media feature socially awkward male geeks.
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This stereotype can deter potential entrants who might be interested in technology but do not relate to that image. A study illustrated this effect; when a class of women was taught by an instructor who fit the geek stereotype, they had a higher dropout rate. It doesn’t matter if the instructor was male or female; if students cannot see themselves in that educator, they may feel isolated.
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The attrition rate is alarming. Fifty-six percent of women leave tech within ten years—twice the rate of men. This is especially pronounced for women as they remain in the industry longer; the longer they stay, the more likely they are to leave. Happy to say that I’ve been able to defy this trend, but I feel like I’m fighting against it every day.
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There are days when I think, 'This is the last straw. I don’t want to program anymore. I am so miserable.' The story of harassment is sadly familiar, too. Recently, a female programmer in another community suffered a horrifying act of violence by someone within that community, and I witnessed many people speak out in support of her attacker.
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This troubling trend not only traumatizes the victim but discourages others from coming forward. A survey I conducted revealed that out of 25 people who reported harassment or discrimination, 23 were fired within three months. It raises the question: if we have these reporting mechanisms, what good are they if they lead to retaliation?
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People in marginalized groups face discrimination much more frequently and are twice as likely to be harassed or mistreated. Observational studies indicate that people who are not part of marginalized communities are often oblivious to these issues; much of this behavior is subtle and hard to detect.
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I've been in this industry for 12 years and have numerous stories of harassment that characterize the experience of many marginalized individuals. It’s sad that we require extra efforts to keep pushing through such embarrassment and challenges in this profession. Sadly, these narratives are a common thread weaves into the lives of women, people of color, and anyone who fits the defined ‘other’ category.
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Discrimination also encompasses issues like pay and job promotions. Men have a 2.7 times greater likelihood of being promoted to high-ranking positions when compared to women, despite being equally represented in middle management. This gap signifies broader systemic problems extending beyond the individual effort put in.
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What can we do to help rectify this situation? Many people have inquired how they can assist in combating these serious issues. The good news is that we can affect change, and it starts with each of us. Education is the best way to grow empathy. Many won’t seek out this information independently, so be proactive—share statistics and encourage people to share their stories.
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In social settings, I often do a little game at conferences. I’ll pick a color and attempt to engage everyone wearing that color throughout the day. This approach helps diminish biases by avoiding preconceived notions based on appearance or familiarity.
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It’s also essential to remember that bias and discrimination often come in subtle forms. I tell anecdotes to illustrate experiences of marginalization. For instance, I’ve encountered instances where people assume my role based on gender, often mistaking me for a project manager when I identify as a programmer. The correlation between appearance and functionality persists.
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Learning to apologize for biases and misunderstandings can go a long way. It’s simple—I made a mistake, I’m sorry, and I’ll try to do better. Apologizing effectively can defuse tension and empower those affected.
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We need to encourage people to speak up and create a culture of awareness and empathy. Engaging in conversations about discrimination, just like online commentary on troubling behaviors, can foster greater understanding and change. For instance, I've learned to avoid harmful language and focus instead on thoughtful discussions.
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We can also contribute to increasing education and access for marginalized individuals in tech. For example, if you are a parent to a child, especially a daughter, engaging them actively in conversations about your work can encourage them towards STEM interests. It builds a foundation of knowledge and curiosity to explore.
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Support initiatives that promote diversity in tech. Many organizations exist to cultivate talent among marginalized communities, so volunteer your time and resources with groups like Black Girls Code, RailsBridge, or Girl Develop It. Help connect them with professionals and support their growth.
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You can also participate in academic institutions that lack diversity. Pursue opportunities in schools with little access to resources, where you can provide knowledge to those who might otherwise not have exposure to the tech realm. At the same time, financially support diverse organizations and schools that promote inclusion.
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Review your workplace. Evaluate the diversity on your company’s site. The trend towards hiring practices that focus on stereotypical candidates often leads to a lopsided branch of hires. Take a hard look at how inclusive the language is on job postings and ensure it resonates with diverse populations.
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We must ensure that our job listings don’t inadvertently exclude qualified candidates based on the language chosen. Remove gendered terminology and ensure that it does not alienate specific groups. Moreover, develop comprehensive health benefits inclusive of same-sex partners and accommodate the needs of the LGBTQ community.
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Offering flexible hours, parental leave, and inclusive workplace cultures that foster diversity can substantially attract candidates. Regular equity audits can ensure all employees are compensated fairly and equally. Create mentorship opportunities—to guide and enable growth among all employees.
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In conclusion, addressing these issues requires collective participation. No one person can singlehandedly bring about change. Many are already engaged in striving towards equity and inclusivity. Your involvement can make a significant impact. If you wish to discuss this further, I will be here until about four o'clock. You can connect with me on Twitter or via email. Together, let’s think about what we can achieve as a community.
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Thank you!
