The Girls Who Could Have Been Engineers, But Got a Barbie Instead

When I was a little girl, the toy universe seemed to split in two: the pink world of Barbies and the colorful realm of tech gadgets. Like many girls of my generation, I was gently steered towards the former. However, my true interest always lay in the latter.

I fondly recall endless hours in front of my Commodore 64. Pages upon pages of code just to make the screen switch from black to blue, and then to yellow. These seemingly trivial moments sparked my passion for technology

The Decline: Women in the Computing Workforce

From school to professional circles, women's decline in the realm of computer science has been palpable. In 1991, 36% of computing occupations were held by women. This was a promising figure, yet by 2014, it had plummeted, leaving women holding only a quarter of these roles. Delving deeper into the statistics, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the proportion of women in computer and mathematical occupations nosedived by 19% from 1995 onwards.

As we move into the more contemporary era, 2020 showed disparities in female participation across computing roles. Women made up 36% of computer systems analysts, a commendable figure when juxtaposed against the meager 12% of information security analysts. Furthermore, 21% were computer programmers, 19% were software developers, and 28% and 29% were web developers and database administrators respectively.

These numbers become even more stark when we observe women of color. 2020 data indicates that only 3% of the computing workforce were Black women, 2% Hispanic women, and a slightly higher 7% for Asian women.

Marketing's Role & Societal Constructs: Keeping Women at Bay?

The glaring question remains: Why are women not as actively pursuing computing? Is it a simple matter of personal inclination or a systemic issue rooted deeper?

Research doesn't present a monolithic answer, but patterns emerge. A report from Microsoft highlights that women are more driven by the aspiration to help people or society through their careers. This doesn't suggest a lack of interest in tech but hints at a discord between women's values and how computing careers were typically portrayed.

This discrepancy isn't organic. As the report elucidates, women's perceptions aren't innate but heavily shaped by societal contexts. Computing curricula, often abstract, fail to tether the profound societal impacts of tech to the profession. The prevailing trends of solitary, non-collaborative learning and subtle biases around 'inherent talent' all tilt the scales, often to the disadvantage of budding female tech enthusiasts

The Hiring Dilemma: Echoes from Store Aisles to Boardrooms

As the years passed by, my fascination with tech brought me to corporate corridors. A recent hiring experience cemented the gender disparity. Out of 200 applications for ten engineering roles, not a single one was from a female engineer. Was the passion for coding truly gender-based or had our society funneled these decisions?

Recent data from the National Center for Women and Information Technology paints a similarly grim picture. In 2020, women held only 19% of software developer roles in the U.S., a figure scarcely improved from the previous decades.

This wasn't just a set of papers; it was a glaring snapshot of an industry trend. Reflecting upon these statistics and the pile of applications on my desk, I was taken back to my childhood afternoons spent in toy stores. There, distinctly divided, were aisles of action figures, video games, and computers for boys, and rows of dolls, playhouses, and craft kits for girls. Was it really surprising then, that this division followed us into adulthood?

Considering that in the 1980s women earned nearly 40% of computer science bachelor's degrees, compared to about 21% today, one has to wonder where the disconnect began. The tech world, in many ways, mirrored those segregated toy aisles: inviting for some, but distant for others. The absence of female applicants wasn't just about recruitment metrics; it was a reflection of deep-seated societal norms.

We had advanced from personal computers to global networking, but had our perceptions and opportunities truly evolved in tandem?

The Glimmers of Change: Women Breaking Glass Ceilings in Tech

However, not all is gloomy. The world of startups and leadership in tech sees women slowly but steadily breaking the mold. In 2019, startups with female founders accounted for a noteworthy 20%, doubling from the figures a decade earlier. It's not just about representation; it's also about efficacy. Reports suggest that women-led startups typically deliver double the return per dollar invested as compared to those steered by men.

At the zenith of the corporate ladder, changes are underway. While women held 18% of CIO/CTO positions among the top 1,000 U.S. companies, a closer look at the tech sector specifically reveals a disparity. In tech's C-suite, women hold just 10% of CIO/CTO roles, underscoring the challenges and the journey ahead.

Conclusion: Barbies, Keyboards, and Breaking Barriers

Tracing back to my nostalgic encounters with the Commodore 64, to the hiring challenges we face in today's tech sphere, the journey of women in tech becomes deeply personal and layered. The data paints a clear picture: though women have made significant strides, there's still a long journey ahead. In 2022, while women accounted for 23% of computer system analysts, they made up just a poor 8.12% of software developers.

Yet, these numbers only motivate us to push harder, to foster environments that nurture and value the unique insights and innovations women bring to the table. More than just statistics, these are stories of resilience, innovation, and untapped potential. We're on the brink of a tech revolution, where girls and women, armed with Barbies or keyboards, can co-create the future.

Unboxing a New Mission: Dressing Up the Future with Barbies and Bytecode It's more than a call—it's a movement. Foster, mentor, hire, and uplift women in tech. Let's sculpt a tomorrow where every young dreamer, free from stale stereotypes, designs her own story—whether wielding codes in tech conclaves or leading boardroom battles. Barbies, keyboards, and all.

To learn more about the future Women Entrepreneurs, don't miss the insightful podcast?Futureamos?Be sure to check out the episode featuring Taryn Andersen ? where she shares valuable insights. You can watch this amazing episode by clicking here

A version of this article in Spanish was published in OPULIX Web here