Guest Post by Jennifer Aldoretta
As a woman who has now worked in several male-dominated industries, I’ve unfortunately become pretty desensitized to acts of subtle sexism. I’ve been compared to a VC’s nagging wife, asked inappropriate questions about my personal life in professional settings, belittled about my assumed lack of “masculine” skills, and called things like “honey” and “sweetie” by male peers. This is certainly not to say that I’m treated poorly by everyone of the opposite sex I encounter, or even often. There are tons of decent people out there that are genuinely supportive and eager to see me succeed.
But these things do happen…and more frequently than I would like. I have a pretty thick skin, and there isn’t much a person could say to really upset me at this point. But recently on social media I was directed to the website of a tech news magazine called Hot Tech Today (trigger warning). I was horrified by what I saw: an image of a woman’s unclothed legs (except for the high heels, of course) with a thong around her ankles. The site comes complete with an announcement asking tech women to submit photos that readers can then vote to include in a sexy centerfold spread (yes, this is a tech news magazine). I’ve worked hard–as I know so many others have–to be taken seriously as a woman in the tech industry, and it feels like a slap in the face to see a company so blatantly turn women in my field into sex objects.
Despite my anger, I found myself incredibly encouraged to witness the subsequent wave of disapproval from others. It’s reassuring to see others on social media calling out biases—whether those expressed biases are intentional or subconscious. I don’t fault the company for assuming that rating the hotness of women in tech was a good idea. I blame society for molding people’s behavior in such a way that things like this seem okay. Sure, I was upset, but the company’s decision was simply part of this much larger, more complex issue.
I admit I get a great deal of satisfaction when organizations (and individuals) are called out for bias in any form. Not because I think those expressing these biases are terrible people, but because social media backlash is now beginning to mold our culture. People are increasingly more conscious of what they say and do. People are starting to think a little harder before saying something hateful about a group of people on the Internet. Even if this censorship is only done for the sake of not seeming like an awful person—even if they truly believe in their biased or hateful actions—I’m thankful for this shift.
Social media has inadvertently created a platform with an incredibly powerful voice. People no longer have to gather in the flesh to make their opinions heard, and there are a lot of voices pushing for changes. Despite social media being a total time-suck, I’m continually impressed by its contribution to advocacy. It’s no longer uncommon to see companies pull inappropriate ads due to social media backlash. We’re changing the behavior of our society’s most influential entities. Slowly, yes. But it’s happening.
We still have a long way to go (as made obvious by the actions of Hot Tech Today), but I can see the changes occurring…it’s a wonderful sight! I now find solace in those little (and not-so-little) moments of sexism that I experience in my life, because I no longer feel so alone. My anger, frustration, disappointment, and urgency for change are not unique. Women in tech (along with all others who identify as women) are so much more than just centerfolds-in-training. Thanks for having our back, social media allies.
