How Stereotypes Keep Women from Learning and Working Well

The binary code was invented by mathematician Ada Augusta Lovelace, who also wrote the first program and introduced key programming concepts (loop and working cell), but educational institutions still often emphasize that technical fields are not meant for women. This is broadcast by society and has a toxic effect on young, insecure female students.

Alisa Tsvetkova, the founder of the #ITGIRLS school, once said that girls are shy to ask questions in class if there are guys in the group. Of course, this affects academic performance. The very fact that there are fewer girls in technical schools than members of the opposite sex affects the educational process.

Our analyst went to a school with a mathematical bias, and even there she felt slight indulgence from the people around her. Later, when she was at university, she was asked the decisive question on the systems engineering exam – how much current is measured. This attitude towards women affects all stages of their professional development.

It happens that university teachers, on the contrary, turn a blind eye to the fact that girls have not learned something. They believe that it is difficult for them. People live in such relationships without realizing that so-called “benevolent sexism” has a negative effect on women. At best, the girl will become lazy because of indulgence and get a lower quality education. At worst, she will believe that she cannot master the subject and give up trying.

Here we are talking about the stories of women who have gone through training and professional development, gained a career and a steady income. Each of these girls recalls encountering prejudice in their attitudes. It can be assumed that many people with less strong character chose a different profession because they did not get support or space to develop in time.

Our heroines’ experiences confirm the conclusion of Women in Tech 2020: 56% of female workers in IT have faced the statement “technology is not for girls.” And a Harvard Business Review study shows that 41% of women working in IT end up leaving the field (compared to 17% of men).

Even mainstream culture paints a picture in which girls don’t see a place for themselves. In the movies, all the hackers are male nerds. Dudya’s show about Silicon Valley shows only men. As Alisa Tsvetkova points out, girls go into programming only if a guy or someone from the family shows them by example that it’s not difficult.