Silicon Valley’s gender gap is the result of computer-game marketing 20 years ago
2014: 70% of employees at top tech companies in Silicon Valley were male
1984: 37% of CS Grads were women, but the number began to drop in the mid 80’s
Some attribute this disparity to the fact that early computers were often used for game playing, and those games were marketed heavily toward boys.
This marketing led to early exposure, which led to boys gaining a significant leg up experience-wise. That experience gap tended to widen over time, so that at the college level male students were often able to place in advanced classes while women were not.
Because college courses (and later workplaces) are overwhelmingly male spaces, the women who do try to make a place for themselves often find the space hostile, as it lacks female role models and friends.
Diversity in Tech)
This site provides data visualization for the gender and ethnic makeup of some top technology companies. Regarding ethnicity, Asians are the only non-white ethnicity represented in large numbers at most companies. Regarding gender, one company (Indiegogo) has a 50/50 gender split. A few others are close, but in most companies on this list women represent between 20-40% of the workforce. (These numbers look slightly more hopeful when viewed next to the comparative breakdowns of the US Congress and Fortune 500 CEOs, provided at the bottom)
Why diversity matters to your tech company
Diversity efforts are most successful when they are driven by a commitment from company leaders who have a strong ‘why’ behind their efforts.
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Diverse teams are smarter and more creative
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Diverse companies perform better
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Companies who do not focus on diversity are losing out on great talent
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Diverse companies can better serve a diverse user base
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It’s the right thing to do