Breaking Barriers: Why the IT Industry Can Be Tough for Women

Recently, an article on Refinery29 shared the story of a woman facing sexism in the workplace. A representative from the IT sector pointed out that the phrase “It’s so easy your mom could do it!” should be removed from our vocabulary. This statement is offensive not only to women who have achieved success in the industry but also to women in general, as it implies that women have lower intellectual capabilities.

The Simplicity Myth

The times when new technology was considered off-limits for older generations have passed, but the stereotype that only men can understand technology persists. In reality, many modern technologies can confuse both women and men. Consider the older generation; a father or grandfather encountering Instagram for the first time might feel just as lost as a woman hearing the aforementioned phrase. The key point is that anyone can understand the latest technology; it’s just a matter of how far adults today are from technology compared to their children.

Women’s Achievements in IT

Meanwhile, women continue to make strides in the IT sector. According to Refinery29, 25% of IT professionals today are women, with 20% of them holding managerial positions. Although this percentage is still low, the situation is changing. Besides women who work with technology professionally, many women are adept at using both new and old devices in their daily lives. They can troubleshoot computer problems, use new software, or at least find a way to figure out what’s causing an issue.

Media Influence

Media sources often portray women as incapable of succeeding in a “man’s world,” not just because of perceived weakness but also due to gender role distribution. Advertisements rarely show women helping their children with coding in video games, and few films depict female characters fixing devices or debugging programs. Instead, women are often shown in traditional roles such as cooking, childcare, and cleaning. While there’s nothing wrong with these roles, where are the portrayals that young girls can look up to and that men and boys can take seriously?

In today’s media landscape, there are very few role models, especially in domestic contexts. Even if they exist, they are not popular because no channel aiming to profit will promote such ideas. The stereotype is further entrenched because women are indeed entering the IT sector, but they are not talked about. As is often the case in modern culture, exceptions only prove the rule.

Hostile Environment

The low number of women working in technology is unfortunately influenced by public opinion. Natasha Litt, a software creator, shared that social networks were incredibly helpful to her. At the beginning of her career, she found support in online communities of women in IT. Such events are organized to create a positive atmosphere around women. Women in IT need to hear “yes” not only from employers but also from information sources.

In a short video published by Refinery29, a woman working in a male-dominated engineering environment talks about overcoming her fear of failure because she was used to seeing only men in her profession. She encourages women to take this step despite prevailing opinions.

Last year, a similar issue was raised in an American edition of Elle magazine. A woman working in the IT sector shared that she was used to working maximally, being the first to arrive and the last to leave. Despite her work benefiting the company, the feedback she received was about her personal qualities: “Too aggressive,” “Unfriendly,” “Doesn’t like to make eye contact,” “Arrogant.”

Unwelcoming Atmosphere

This leads to another problem faced by women in technology: an unwelcoming environment. Danica Laszuk, Vice President of Jawbone, discusses this phenomenon based on her nine years of experience in Apple’s IT department:

The culture and value system established in society are hostile to women, and this happens on a subconscious level. According to Laszuk, it cannot be said that discrimination against women in the workplace is intentional. If we look at the traditional work system in software development, we can see what Laszuk meant. Employees are used to working overtime, staying late, and fully dedicating themselves to their work. A woman who balances career and family cannot afford to sacrifice anything. Men also suffer from a tight schedule and the need to choose between home and work, but for some reason, this choice does not determine their ability to work in a particular environment. Unlike men, women have to balance many criteria: work a lot, not be aggressive, criticize but not deny, be confident but not arrogant.

Solutions and Support

How can we solve this problem? How can we make the work environment more positive for women in IT? Danica Laszuk advises women to unite. In this context, this solution can indeed be salvational. Social networks, communities, and other organizations should be created by women who want to find as many other representatives of the IT sector as possible, going through the same difficulties and barriers. Together, by exchanging information, sharing experiences, and discussing problems and their possible solutions, women can not only feel much more confident but also form a completely new work culture where there is no place for sexism, discrimination, and stereotypes. Both successful women and those just starting their journey in technology can benefit from this.

Unfortunately, there is no other way to deal with the negative pressure of the modern world yet, but the media has started talking about how women should support each other in their careers.