K
Kathleen Martin
Guest
Women vis-à-vis Technology: Negotiating the Challenge of Disengagement
What is the position and status of women vis-à-vis technology in general and new technology in particular? The vital but sensitive question demands closer scrutiny. Studies have found that in terms of enlistment in various courses and classes relating to cutting-edge technology or in terms of employment in high-tech firms, the percentage of women is very low. In fact, it is considered quite impressive if women come to constitute only one-fourth of the total number. If that is not enough, it is also a fact that women earn much less than their male counterparts. This scenario holds true despite a substantial increase in the enrolment of women in schools and higher academic institutions.
A persistent trend that one finds is that much fewer numbers of women opt for the STEM disciplines in their pre-professional days. This is one though not the only cause of the reflection of lesser women in a workforce involved in scientific, industrial, and technological fields. A world in which half of the human population is supposed to be women is a major cause for concern. It does not augur well when the amazing progress in technology takes place without much involvement of women. The following points expose some of the daily challenges experienced by women in technology to climb up the success ladder:
Unequal Opportunities: The mindset of society is still engaged with gender bias across the world, even in the 21st century. The tech world is known as the male-dominated profession because it is an unconscious bias that women are inferior and cannot understand technical issues or possess better technical skills than men. Thus, women in technology receive fewer work opportunities and promotions due to inequality.
Maternal Leave: The tech-driven world still considers women as child-bearing machines who cannot work due to household chores and child management. Women in the technology field lack that confidence because they know maternal leave can hamper their job opportunities and may not be encouraged to join an office after completing maternal leave. Women have to hold back from successful careers and focus on motherhood due to lack of sufficient support— mental and physical.
Discriminations at Every Stage: Receiving constant insults in a work environment creates a negative impact on the women in the technology field— being talked over, being ignored, giving more opportunities to men-counterpart, being left out of group events, and the list goes on. If any woman stands up for herself and her rights, she is considered to be bold and male employees view her negatively. Women have to continuously fight for their rights and stand up against these daily insults at every stage possible.
Continue reading: https://www.analyticsinsight.net/the-10-most-impactful-women-in-technology-2021/
What is the position and status of women vis-à-vis technology in general and new technology in particular? The vital but sensitive question demands closer scrutiny. Studies have found that in terms of enlistment in various courses and classes relating to cutting-edge technology or in terms of employment in high-tech firms, the percentage of women is very low. In fact, it is considered quite impressive if women come to constitute only one-fourth of the total number. If that is not enough, it is also a fact that women earn much less than their male counterparts. This scenario holds true despite a substantial increase in the enrolment of women in schools and higher academic institutions.
A persistent trend that one finds is that much fewer numbers of women opt for the STEM disciplines in their pre-professional days. This is one though not the only cause of the reflection of lesser women in a workforce involved in scientific, industrial, and technological fields. A world in which half of the human population is supposed to be women is a major cause for concern. It does not augur well when the amazing progress in technology takes place without much involvement of women. The following points expose some of the daily challenges experienced by women in technology to climb up the success ladder:
Unequal Opportunities: The mindset of society is still engaged with gender bias across the world, even in the 21st century. The tech world is known as the male-dominated profession because it is an unconscious bias that women are inferior and cannot understand technical issues or possess better technical skills than men. Thus, women in technology receive fewer work opportunities and promotions due to inequality.
Maternal Leave: The tech-driven world still considers women as child-bearing machines who cannot work due to household chores and child management. Women in the technology field lack that confidence because they know maternal leave can hamper their job opportunities and may not be encouraged to join an office after completing maternal leave. Women have to hold back from successful careers and focus on motherhood due to lack of sufficient support— mental and physical.
Discriminations at Every Stage: Receiving constant insults in a work environment creates a negative impact on the women in the technology field— being talked over, being ignored, giving more opportunities to men-counterpart, being left out of group events, and the list goes on. If any woman stands up for herself and her rights, she is considered to be bold and male employees view her negatively. Women have to continuously fight for their rights and stand up against these daily insults at every stage possible.
Continue reading: https://www.analyticsinsight.net/the-10-most-impactful-women-in-technology-2021/
