Continuing Challenges Women in Tech Face

Reading stories about women succeeding in business, and in tech in particular, has always helped to motivate me — something I’ve been needing more and more these days. As the mom of a young daughter, I also try to find evidence to fuel my hope that she won’t have to face the same challenges I have. In my ramblings, I came across this blog article, “Women in Tech – Female CxOs Share their Challenges in Tech Startups“, which got me thinking. It consisted of interviews with top women in technology, discussing some of the same challenges they have all faced in their careers.

Despite the significant progress made in recent years, women in the technology industry often face unique challenges when it comes to communication and making their voices heard. From being interrupted or overlooked in meetings to facing unconscious biases that undermine their expertise, women in tech have had to navigate these barriers throughout their careers.

One common thread that runs through the narratives of women in the industry (all industries, to be honest) is feeling as if they had to change significantly to have their voices heard. This sometimes meant modeling themselves after the men they interacted with. It meant consciously downplaying characteristics classified as typical female, something I personally experienced. When I started in tech decades ago, I learned quickly not to seem too confident or opinionated– traits which often translated into being negatively perceived as pushy and stubborn. Being passionate about something was too frequently seen as emotional, no matter how deeply the perspective was based on research and proof. Defending my position, standing up for myself, and expecting acknowledgment and recognition were equally considered emotional. I learned to be subtle and pay attention to the most minor details. Since I frequently adjusted my behavior or speech depending on the people I was interacting with, I became a pretty darn good judge of character.

Another often repeated truth women share is the need to work twice as hard to prove themselves. Again, I can relate. As a woman, I am always acutely aware of everything from using sick days to being hyper-vigilant about questions. How to ask the question, who to ask the question of, since showing any lack of knowledge made one vulnerable to being questioned in return, and was often terrifying. This underlying twist from asking questions into questioning – essentially doubting oneself is common not just amongst women in tech, but in other traditionally male-dominated fields. “Imposter syndrome,” as it’s known today, has become one of those buzzwords you hear all the time. However, it’s something I, for one, experienced for decades before it had a name.

Now, none of this is new. These stories have been told in some form since women began entering the workforce and challenging the male-dominated power structure. And things have gotten better in lots of ways. Women are finding their voices and power, taking matters into their own hands. As entrepreneurs, they use their platforms to inspire their peers and mentor the younger generation. But the sad truth is that this is still a story. And it needs to be told not only until people are tired of hearing about it but also until actual change has finally put it firmly into “how it used to be” rather than “here we go again.”