WOMEN IN TECH
begins at nursery-age with
Disney princesses , caricatures of women on TV , and the culture of videogames being just for boys . All these things have a big impact on forming young minds . Neuroscientists will tell you that the age of maximum plasticity of the brain - in other words , when it absorbs the most information - is between three and five , when stereotypes become hardwired .
“ We have stereotypes everywhere ,” Dowling says . “ You see that in Hollywood movies , the casting of male roles versus empowered females , and cartoons with figures in inappropriate dress .”
She explains that the key to addressing this is by transforming the educational system . “ You ’ ve got to go back to basics in the home and all the way to pre-school to change the system , and to teach in a different way so that teenagers and young women can see the value of science .
“ We have a lot of female doctors because there ’ s a human side to it that attracts them , we ’ ve managed to promote this . We ’ ve not been able to do that around how technology can save lives , and how technology can positively impact your environment .
“ Once you get women connected to the subject they stay , but you lose them in that middle area ” she continues . “ You have to have a different way of teaching those subjects . In California that ’ s what they ’ re actually challenging right now , to change the educational system . Like everything else it takes time .”
THE TECH WORK ENVIRONMENT Workplace culture also needs overhauling . Firm policies to ensure companies hire a certain percentage of women exist , such as Title VII of the US Civil Rights Act and the European Union ’ s Article 14 which forbid discrimination based on race , religion or gender . But evidence suggests these are not enough .
13