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Hello! Alright, perfect, not too equally. My name is Ashe Dryden. Before we get started, I'm going to let people sit down real quick.
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But, before we begin, I need some audience participation. If you are able to, please stand up or raise your hand if you are involved with RailsBridge, Rails Girls, Girl Develop It, Black Girls Code, or related programs.
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If you teach programming, if you are a mentor, or if you in any way help someone new get into programming or into Ruby or Rails, please stand up or raise your hand.
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So, I'm talking today about diversity in tech. It's something that is really important to me and something I've been very lucky to talk to a lot of people about lately.
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As I said, my name is Ashe Dryden. You can find me by that name pretty much everywhere on the internet. A lot of the information that's in my slides, I also tweet about regularly, so if you're interested in learning more, you can check out my website or my Twitter stream.
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To set a baseline for our conversation, I want to talk about what diversity actually is. Often, when we have this conversation, it’s kind of code for asking where all the women are. It’s important to remember that diversity is more than just gender, and it transcends the binary of male and female.
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Diversity encompasses people from various backgrounds, experiences, and lifestyles. It’s a lot more than just gender, and it's not always visible. For example, disabilities, whether physical or mental, aren't always apparent.
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Economic class deeply impacts many people in programming and education as well.
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To provide context for our discussion, I want to define some vocabulary terms. The first term is intersectionality.
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Intersectionality refers to the traits that make up a person and how they interact with society's treatment based on these traits. It encompasses how overlapping identities can influence someone's experience in life.
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For example, in the United States, women earn approximately 80.9% of what men do. Although this is an improvement from previous years, it’s still disappointing—and intersectionality shows us that this isn't the whole story. Latinas, for instance, earn just 59.3% of what their white male counterparts make.
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This stark contrast illustrates that just being a woman and being a woman of color significantly decreases one's earning potential. In the blind community, the unemployment rate is about 7.5%, while it’s 10 times higher for blind individuals, showcasing a huge disparity.
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Another key term is privilege, which represents an unearned advantage simply because of who you are or the traits you possess. For instance, I have specific privileges based on factors like being white, appearing straight, speaking English as my first language, being middle class, and being abled.
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Having privilege doesn't make someone a bad person. However, it's important to recognize these advantages and consider who lacks these privileges. If I get 95 out of 100 in a given context, someone else gets only 5, highlighting an immense inequality in opportunities.
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People in privileged positions access better education, receive higher pay, and face fewer biases. Indeed, being assumed to be competent is significant during job interviews, where women often have to counter preconceived notions about their abilities.
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This concept also extends to social and professional networks, particularly in STEM fields, where familial connections and networks influence access to higher educational institutions and job opportunities.
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Moreover, our definition of skill sets often relies on stereotypes. For instance, being labeled as a 'geek' often defaults to a young, white male image, limiting broader identification within the culture.
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The next vocabulary term is stereotype threat. A stereotype threat occurs when individuals fear confirming negative stereotypes about their identity group, which may hinder their performance.
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Studies have shown, for instance, that women prime with negative messages about math tend to perform worse than those who aren't subjected to such primes. It demonstrates how this external pressure can significantly impact performance.
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Imposter syndrome is another term worth mentioning. This affects many people, as it involves the inability to internalize one's accomplishments.
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Individuals may feel unworthy or incapable, even if they have the qualifications and expertise to succeed. This phenomenon can be especially pronounced among marginalized groups, leading to hesitance in pursuing certain jobs or opportunities.
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Another concept is marginalization, which refers to pushing certain individuals or groups to the peripheries of society, disregarding their needs and desires simply due to their status as 'other.'
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It's crucial to be aware that many people think they are logical and don’t see gender in the workplace. However, the people celebrated in society, such as scientists and professors, often exhibit these biases as well.
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Research has illustrated this through experiments where identical resumes with different names were rated differently, with women often receiving lower scores and recommended salaries.
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It highlights how, even in mixed-gender review teams, women were subjected to the same unfavorable assessments as their male counterparts, which reinforces systemic gender biases.
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So how diverse is the tech industry? Recent demographics show that women in tech hold positions at about half the rate they do in the general population.
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Particularly concerning are the Hispanic and Black communities, which are significantly underrepresented within the tech sector.
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For instance, women comprise about 24% of the overall tech workforce, yet account for only 3% of open-source contributions.
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Given that many job opportunities are often contingent upon open-source contributions, the limited representation raises serious questions about the viability of finding diverse candidates.
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This issue isn't isolated to the United States alone; various countries around the world show a similar pattern in regards to gender representation in computer science.
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The perception that women simply aren't interested in programming overlooks the historical context where programming was once a predominantly female profession.
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It’s vital to acknowledge changing perceptions and societal influences affecting who enters these fields today.
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The narrative surrounding programming can deter young women, as many lack visible role models or environments that encourage them to explore tech.
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This lack of representation begins early; cultural cues from a young age suggest what roles are suitable for boys versus girls, affecting their aspirations.
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Recent initiatives, such as toys designed to introduce girls to engineering, play a pivotal role in closing these gaps.
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As we continue to explore and cultivate diverse communities, we must focus on addressing existing inequalities and preventative measures to combat these biases.
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Studies show systemic barriers impede opportunities—a clearer understanding of these dynamics can guide us towards greater inclusivity.
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In addition to attention to diverse recruiting, organizations should implement training and awareness programs aimed at confronting implicit biases.
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It’s essential that we support communities that prioritize a diverse workplace and foster understanding and respect for different experiences.
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Further, companies must assess their workplace culture, ensuring it's equitable and welcoming to all employees.
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Diversity improves overall problem-solving and innovation. A diverse team can tackle complex challenges more effectively, leading to better outcomes within tech projects.
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This leads to improved financial performance, and diverse teams are proven to be more creative, contributing to sustainable growth.
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Ultimately, diversity matters not only for financial reasons but also as a moral obligation. It's vital for our communities and industries to become inclusive spaces.
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Advancement in diversity creates spaces where everyone is welcomed to contribute and share their experiences, fostering a stronger sense of community.
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In closing, we each have a role in the effort toward raising awareness and encouraging participation of marginalized groups in tech.
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I urge collective action, speaking up against discrimination and actively supporting initiatives that promote inclusivity.
