Communications of the ACM
Why Women Won't Code Is Topic of New Documentary
Director Robin Hauser Reynolds' documentary about the gender gap in computer science was inspired by the experience of her own daughter in attempting to pursue computer science studies in college.
Credit: Townetworks.com
Film director Robin Hauser Reynolds was inspired to create her new documentary about the gender gap in computer science, "CODE: Debugging the Gender Gap," by the experience of her college-age daughter. Reynolds says her daughter, who had expressed a keen interest in computer science, was dismayed to find she was one of only two women in her computer science classes and nearly dropped computer science because of it.
Reynolds says the problem of women not pursuing computer science is not just an issue of equality, but an economic one as well. "By 2020, there will be 1.4 million technology jobs, but only 400,000 people will have the skills necessary to get those jobs," she says. "This isn't just about gender. It's about a potential economic crisis."
The documentary features interviews with women in tech who talk about facing explicit and implicit gender bias on a daily basis, outsized expectations that make them feel like they have to constantly prove their worth, and a lack of female role models and mentors. However, it also highlights how rewarding tech careers can be for women, featuring interviews with female workers who speak about the satisfaction they derive from their jobs at companies such as Pixar and Pinterest.
From USA Today
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