What We Can Learn about Diversity from the Liberal Arts

by Liz Certa

In her talk titled "What We Can Learn about Diversity from the Liberal Arts," presented at RailsConf 2015, Liz Certa examines the evolution of diversity within the liberal arts and its implications for the tech industry. Focusing primarily on gender and race, she discusses the historical context of the liberal arts, highlighting shifts that have occurred over the past century and how these can inform efforts to increase diversity in tech.

Key Points Discussed:
- Limited Focus on Diversity: Certa acknowledges her decision to focus on gender and race issues as they pertain to the American context, emphasizing the importance of exploring multiple perspectives.
- The Canon of Literature: The dominance of white male authors in the literary canon up until the mid-20th century reveals systemic biases within education that have gradually begun to change, particularly in literature.
- Educational Resources: The lack of diverse representation in coding education tools, such as "Rails for Zombies," is critiqued. Certa highlights that most characters and scenarios presented are predominantly male and white, which does not reflect the diversity desired in the tech community.
- Children's Literature Evolution: The transformation in children’s literature during the late 20th century to include diverse characters shows a parallel to what is needed in tech education resources.
- Inclusion of Diverse Voices: Certa stresses the need for the tech industry to recognize and include contributions from underrepresented groups, similar to how the literary community has evolved to incorporate more diverse voices.
- The 'Genius' Myth: The search for mythical 'genius' professionals in tech can deter women and people of color, pointing to the importance of reframing job postings to attract a broader range of candidates.
- Acknowledgment of Non-Traditional Coders: Certa encourages the recognition of individuals from various backgrounds who engage in coding yet do not classify themselves as developers, advocating for a more inclusive view of talent in the tech field.

In conclusion, Certa's presentation underscores the need for the tech industry to actively work towards a more diverse and inclusive environment. By learning from the strategies implemented in the liberal arts, tech can enhance the representation and integration of diverse voices, fostering an industry that is welcoming to all individuals. Her work is a call to action for creating educational resources and opportunities that reflect the diversity of the society in which we live.

00:00:12.160 My name is Liz, and that's my Twitter handle up there. Before I start this talk today, I need to give a couple of disclaimers.

00:00:17.359 First, see that big word up there: 'Diversity'. When I originally thought of this talk, I thought I could cover all kinds of diversity. I could talk about diversity in religion, ethnicity, disability, and more. However, for the sake of my sanity, I’m limiting my focus mainly to gender—specifically men and women—and also race as it pertains to issues in America.

00:00:27.920 Secondly, regarding those last two words, 'liberal arts,' there are various fields within that domain, and discussing all of them isn't feasible. Therefore, I'm predominantly focusing on English language and literature. Thirdly, I want to acknowledge that I'll be discussing race today as a white woman and talking about gender from my own limited perspective. I’m not transgendered and there are many different ways to identify as a woman that I can’t speak to. Please understand that what I'm saying today shouldn’t be the only perspective you consider regarding race and gender in this industry. I encourage you to educate yourselves by looking up what people of color have said about these issues. A lot of what I'm presenting here is based on their voices and my personal readings over the years.

00:01:07.240 Finally, I have a disclaimer that's a bit hesitant to mention, but it's important: I could be told to return this speaking invitation at any moment. This is a photo of me graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in English and a minor in medieval studies, and here I am today. In another year, I plan to graduate again with a Master of Arts in English.

00:01:17.200 Later, I moved to Louisville, Kentucky, chasing my dream of becoming a high school English teacher. It was in Louisville that I learned one of the most valuable lessons of my life: you can love our amazing English language and appreciate its power, beauty, and nuance while simultaneously despising the American education system. After realizing this disconnect, I left teaching and fell into my current role as a Rails developer. It’s a story of its own, but as I transitioned industries, I noticed several striking differences.

00:01:37.360 Some of these differences were positive. For example, I’m a big fan of the fact that in this industry, people actually get paid real, livable wages. I remember going into my first interview and hearing, 'We’ll start you off at such-and-such dollars an hour. In a year, you can renegotiate.' I was astonished. I thought, 'Wow! I don't have to endure a nine-month unpaid internship followed by a three-month unpaid one, and then maybe get a minimum wage part-time job.' This is amazing.

00:02:02.600 However, on the downside, we are all aware of the statistics showing that women and people of color make up a very small percentage of the workforce in this industry. This piqued my interest, and I set out to learn why. As I explored, I discovered a sort of intellectual Bigfoot—it's elusive and seldom seems to show its face, but there appears to be a widespread belief that the arts naturally attract women and people of color. This belief is somewhat complicated and may contain a grain of truth, but I want to unpack several things that challenge this notion.

00:02:24.440 To begin with, let’s discuss the Canon. For those who might not remember, the Canon refers to the established writers and works of literature that are widely regarded as significant. Up until the 1950s, this was predominantly the group of white male writers known as the luminaries of English language and literature. I want to highlight that while there are exceptions, such as Jane Austen and Alexandre Dumas, the majority of those considered to be the greats were, in fact, white men. Additionally, when we say 'liberal arts,' this term is shorthand for Liberal Arts and Sciences. The reason 'Sciences' is included is that prior to Sputnik, the divide in higher education didn't focus as much on arts versus sciences but rather on vocation-based education, encompassing fields like law, medicine, and dentistry.

00:03:41.360 This photo is from the 1922 yearbook of the University of Louisville, highlighting the liberal arts and science departments. In this image, I've circled several faculty members involved in traditionally artistic subjects. Notably, while there were certainly achievements by women and people of color, they were underrepresented in fields like medicine, where employment opportunities were limited for African Americans. However, at that time, more women were likely to be studying the liberal arts than pursuing careers in medicine, law, or other STEM fields due to those groups being more welcoming for them.

00:04:15.480 Importantly, the liberal arts have faced their own challenges with diversity, and the representation we see today stems from many deliberate strategies put in place to combat these issues. Some of these strategies I’ve noticed being replicated in STEM fields and the tech industry, while others have yet to be adopted. Today, we’ll discuss those strategies that still need to be considered, starting with what I call 'Fun with Dick and Jane and Power Rangers.' What might this be about? Well, the Dick and Jane series was a widely circulated children’s primer put out in the 1920s that continued into the 1970s. It was designed to teach children how to read, centering around two characters—Dick, the brown-haired boy, and Jane, the blonde girl—who went on all sorts of white-bread suburban adventures.

00:05:57.440 The representation of characters like Dick and Jane illustrates the lack of diversity that was typical in children’s literature of the early 20th century, which often featured conventional notions of gender roles. Additionally, the depictions of various characters neglected the richness of diversity within society. However, during the 1970s, '80s, and '90s, there was a concerted effort to make children’s literature reflect a greater diversity, ensuring that what introduced readers to language and literature was more inclusive. This initiative led to the publication of books like 'Anklet for a Princess,' a Cinderella story from India, and the 'American Girl' series, which featured diverse characters and stories.

00:07:14.400 So, how does this pertain to the tech industry? I started questioning whether the introductory materials that draw people into our field are representative of the diversity we wish to see. Regrettably, I can't definitively answer this since my entrance into the industry was somewhat unorthodox. I did not come through a boot camp or a traditional computer science program; however, I can reflect on the resources I used when learning to code. One significant resource was 'Rails for Zombies,' which many of you may be familiar with—it’s an excellent program for learning Rails. However, I took the initiative to analyze every example person or body that appeared within those resources.

00:08:46.640 I collected names and categorized them accordingly: the names included Ash, Bob, Jim, Billy, Greg, Eric, Tim, Joe, Tony, and Kai, with Amy being the only female name on the list. Additionally, when it came to images of characters used in the scenarios, out of all the representations, only three depicted explicitly gendered female characters.

00:09:12.320 This lack of representation is not unique to 'Rails for Zombies' either, as I analyzed another frequently-used textbook, 'HTML and CSS' by Jon Duckett. In this book, representations of men significantly outnumber those of women, with the ratio being about 3 to 1. Similarly, white representations far exceed representations of people of color, as the latter make up a much smaller portion of the content. For the sake of clarity, I want to emphasize that I'm not attempting to target or critique anyone. If this reaches code schools, please understand that I’m not accusing anyone of malicious intent or discrimination. I also want to clarify that simply adding a pink bow to female characters isn't a constructive solution—that’s not the answer.

00:10:27.560 The reality is that if we're not actively working towards creating a more diverse representation in our educational materials, it’s all too easy for our resources and learning tools to default to identifying and portraying a narrow demographic: predominantly white men. Moving forward, I want to discuss the Canon and Characters further. Revisiting the Canon, I want to convey that throughout the early 20th century and well beyond, literature primarily showcased white male authors and protagonists.

00:11:03.720 There was a distinct movement in the 1960s and '70s aiming to recognize and honor the contributions of women and authors of color whose works were previously undervalued. As part of this push, the literary community began examining great works that held significance and quality, often attributing them to voices that were once deemed unworthy of the Canon. With this acknowledgment, we began to see the introduction of a broader array of characters and stories, revealing how literature can uplift and represent diverse experiences.

00:12:32.720 This transformation serves as an important learning moment for the tech industry. While we’ve celebrated the names of pivotal figures in technology, such as Grace Hopper, we often forget that we must simultaneously aim to diversify the actual content we create and the communities we build. Acknowledging contributions from underrepresented groups makes our industry stronger. We should also recognize apps that promote inclusivity and diversity. For example, there are applications that map safe restrooms for transgender, intersex, and gender non-conforming individuals. This illustrates how technology can positively impact the lives of traditionally underrepresented groups.

00:13:52.679 Moving on, I want to discuss the removal of the 'genius' myth. The challenge I face as I focus on English language and literature relates to a glaring inconsistency in the levels of diversity across different liberal arts fields. While English has made significant strides, other disciplines, like philosophy, have only about 30% female representation in undergraduate programs. In contrast, microbiology boasts around 54% female representation. Researchers have observed that fields that emphasize raw brilliance and innate genius are often less welcoming to women and people of color, which is linked to the way we are conditioned in society.

00:15:07.680 These biases carry into the tech industry, where we often find job postings seeking mythical figures with extraordinary talents who can perform the work of ten developers. While it's true that such exceptionally talented individuals exist, seeking them exclusively as 'genius' contradicts our goals of diversity. This framing can inadvertently alienate women and people of color since studies reveal they are less likely to view themselves as 'genius' compared to men. Thus, it’s important to reconsider how we express our criteria in job postings. Instead of requesting a wizard or ninja, we could express our need for individuals committed to quality, collaboration, and growth—traits that foster a more inclusive environment.

00:16:47.760 Finally, I want to share a thought from Nathaniel Hawthorne, who once lamented about the 'damned mob of scribbling women.' His comment speaks to an era when women were writing sentimental literature, and these works were often dismissed as trivial. Yet, history has revealed that these writers were addressing the struggles of their time, and their voices offer critical perspectives. Likewise, I want to ask whether our tech industry has its own 'damned mob' of voices that we might be overlooking—creators and coders who might not fit the traditional mold of a developer yet possess valuable skills and experiences.

00:18:38.040 As I’ve reflected on my own experiences and the emergence of non-traditional coding, I challenge us to recognize those who may be coding but not categorizing themselves as developers. For instance, many artists and content creators engage in coding, blog writing, and related skills in ways that defy conventional classifications. Although I don’t have a definitive answer to this question, I leave it to you to consider the diversity present in our industry. How can we affirm the skills of those individuals and ensure that they feel welcomed in this field? That concludes my presentation. I hope some insights resonated with you, and I’m open for questions.