How Did Tech Become So Male-Dominated?

Since computing began in the 1940s, women have led major developments in programming and software development. In 1984, 37 percent of computer-science majors were women. What happened? The tech industry's image shifted rapidly in the 1980s and ’90s, and society began to associate programming with men. Today, only one in four computing jobs is held by a woman. This short, animated history of women in tech explains how women—not just men—developed computer science. Programming isn't a male or female job, and remembering that is necessary to fix the tech industry’s gender gap. Read more in The Atlantic’s April 2017 cover story, “Why Is Silicon Valley So Awful to Women?”

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[becomeacodeher]

Being honest here. (Being a female CS student) there aren't many women taking CS classes. I heard men say that throughout their entire college years there were only a handful of women out of all of their classes.

[mavhunter]

Fortran was the first compiler in 1957. Grace Hoppers COBAL came out in 1959. Stop revising history.

[neththom]

Don't worry! There's plenty of diversity in the likes/dislikes ratio.

[ClayMillerJackal]

most of the women I've met didn't give a shit about the subject... mystery solved

[amazingbollweevil]

Wow, that was really informative. Now do one on how women have come to dominate the pre-school and elementary school industry.

[samejimamamimi]

"Programming is not MALE or FEMALE"
"How Did Tech Become So Male-Dominated?"
uh, ok.

[sriram]

I don't understand why you want to be recognized for some other women's work

[chiefjudge]

Stop being sexist and generalizing men.

[ZombieLicorice]

Revisionist perspective on tech history

[ptarleton]

I wonder what the actual reason is. In the US 1/3rd of Doctors are women and 1/3rd of Lawyers are women. Yet about 1/10th of practicing engineers are women. This is admittedly anecdotal on my part, but when women do study a hard science it seems like they usually pick chemistry, math, physics, pharmacy school, or literally anything else over electrical engineering or computer science.

So....I don't know the reason. But it seems pretty weird that "Revenge of the Nerds" and "Weird Science" are patriarchal propaganda films.

[johnalister]

Of course women have contributed to the history of computing (Ada Lovelace for example) but you conveniently forgot that throughout history, most women were assigned to repetitive tasks, mainly input operations. For example the large number of women employed in the 60s were what were called keypunch operators. It was their job to transcribe the Fortran coding sheets, prepared by engineers and scientists (and some were women), into Hollerith punch cards. They were glorified typists.

Your piece is called revisionism.

[GokayCEKLI]

This is just one persons story. Tech is not a gated industry if women are so interested in the industry they can just start their companies.

[keinlanz]

Interestingly, a recent study revealed an inverse correlation between women in STEM and societal egalitarianism. Countries with low female empowerment have far more women in STEM than countries with high female empowerment. This suggests that the more agency women have, the more likely they are to use that agency to choose careers that align with their passions, which is very unlikely to be engineering. Men and women are different, and it's not as much about competence as it is about temperament and interests.

[mehul]

Because women do not take Computer Science. Simple. In my class of 60 there were just 8 women.

[SilentSnipest]

Now is the best time for women in tech! There are tons of opportunities and scholarships specifically for women to become involved. Sexism has been almost entirely weeded out from STEM fields with primarily the oldest generation being the issue. The main thing holding women back is the notion that they are entering a male dominated field. Much like men wanting to become a nurse, an elementary teacher, etc, society emphasizes that becoming a doctor, professor, etc should be what they strive for. Just try to toss that way of thinking and go for it!

[junkmale]

You didn't really answer the question, you just pointed out that jocks don't become programmers and geeks are afraid of woman. In 2005 in the USA we're all equal and the net was shiny new. What killer apps have been developed by woman teams? Why don't they exist? Don't get me wrong, I'd like to see more qualified woman in the field, I was hoping you'd give me some insight and helpful tips, but no.

[alejandrob]

Answer: Women in majority don't like STEM and tech carriers and a lot of things men like to, women prefer other things and there's nothing bad about it. Deal with it

[Melichor]

I find it absolutely hilarious you try to blame the lower number of female comp sci majors on the belief that Male "nerds" don't socialize with women.

[ollenygard]

3:00 that "you should know that by now" is just typical CS comments, happends to everyone

[sammy]

I "white women" probably made this video.