Whither Women in Technology?

According to the Harvard Business Review, women quit tech careers because of “antigens,” parts of the culture that actively offend women.

From an interview with the author in Computer World:

“They talk about demeaning and condescending attitudes, lots of off-color jokes, sexual innuendo, arrogance; colleagues, particularly in the tech culture, who genuinely think women don’t have what it takes—who see them as genetically inferior. It’s hard to take as a steady stream. It’s predatory and demeaning. It’s distressing to find this kind of data in 2008.”

Clearly the technology companies highlighted in this sector have not established codes of conduct highlighting which behaviours and attitudes will not be tolerated at work. Studies in the past at Cranfield have shown few differences between males and females who hold senior roles. These women shouldn’t feel the need to drop out of their jobs just as they could be taking on more important management roles.

[via boing boing gadgets]