This document discusses challenges to gender equality in tech and proposes ways to support male allies in improving equality. It notes that while 40% of undergraduate STEM students are women, only 22% work in STEM fields, and 52% of women in tech leave their jobs. It then outlines challenges men face in supporting equality, such as being unaware of issues, not knowing how to start or evaluate people equally, and fears of isolation or offense. Finally, it proposes developing a prototype toolkit to help men with tips like broadening hiring networks, inviting women to events, conducting blind reviews, and getting feedback to overcome challenges. The goal is to get men involved in creating inclusive environments and advancing gender equality in tech.

1. Tech needs more men
To support gender equality
Pansy Lee
FITC 2018 Transform
April 9, 2018

2. Place your screenshot here
Fast Company. (n.d.). Strong Female Lead.

3. circa 2001

4. 40%Women in undergraduate STEM
(Science, Tech, Engineering and Math) programs
22%Women working in STEM fields
Government of Canada, S. C. (2013, Dec 18).
Government of Canada. (2015, Dec 9).

5. 52%of women in tech are
leaving the industry
Hewlett, S. A., Sherbin, L., Dieudonne, F., Fargnoli, C.,
& Fredman, C. (2014)

6. Biased evaluations
Dean, C. (2006, Jul 18)
Stanford News Center. (2006, Jul 12)

7. Biased evaluations
Dean, C. (2006, Jul 18)
Stanford News Center. (2006, Jul 12)

8. Biased evaluations
– Ben Barres, A transgender man
previously known as Barbara Barres
Dean, C. (2006, Jul 18)
Stanford News Center. (2006, Jul 12)

9. Biased evaluations
– Ben Barres, A transgender man
previously known as Barbara Barres
Dean, C. (2006, Jul 18)
Stanford News Center. (2006, Jul 12)

10. Biased evaluations
‘Ben gave a great seminar today—but his work
is so much better than his sister’s’.
– Ben Barres remembers a comment a scientist
said to him at a conference
Dean, C. (2006, Jul 18)
Stanford News Center. (2006, Jul 12)

11. Hostile male cultures
Higgins, C. (1980)

12. Hostile male cultures
I was pouring myself a cup of coffee and asked
‘Can I get anyone a cup of coffee?’
-Sheila Marcelo, Founder,
Chairwoman and CEO of Care.com

13. Hostile male cultures
I was pouring myself a cup of coffee and asked
‘Can I get anyone a cup of coffee?’
-Sheila Marcelo, Founder,
Chairwoman and CEO of Care.com
The men in the room thought: “Oh, you must be the
assistant from the bank.”

14. Lack of sponsors or mentors
Nelson, V. (n.d.)

15. Lack of sponsors or mentors
Ashford, K. (2013, May 3)
The seminars on sex discrimination and harassment scared me.
– Oli Thordarson,
President and CEO of Alvaka Networks

16. Lack of sponsors or mentors
I don’t want to defend myself against
an allegation that I did something.
Ashford, K. (2013, May 3)
The seminars on sex discrimination and harassment scared me.
– Oli Thordarson,
President and CEO of Alvaka Networks

17. Excluded from inner circles

18. Excluded from inner circles
I’ve witnessed male coworkers invited to
golf outings and cottage weekends.
– Pansy Lee

19. Excluded from inner circles
Those same coworkers were later promoted instead of
more qualified people in the organization.
I’ve witnessed male coworkers invited to
golf outings and cottage weekends.
– Pansy Lee

21. Why am I focused on men?
I keep talking about women in tech

22. Gender Equality
Belief that men and women
should have equal rights and opportunities
- politically, economically and socially -
World Health Organization. (2016)

23. Ultimately, you cannot
achieve equality unless everyone
agrees it’s important

26. Freed, L. (1963)

27. Manford, J. (1972)

28. What challenges do male allies face
in supporting gender equality?

29. What challenges do male allies face
in supporting gender equality?
How might we support male allies
in improving gender equality?
&

30. 1.
challenges men face
Trying to support women in tech

31. Two co-creation research workshops
Men from the Toronto tech community
mentors network

32. List challenges

33. Suggest tips & Resources

34. Top 5 challenges men face
in supporting gender equality
within tech organizations

35. 1. Unaware there is an issue at all
Privilege
Pay gap
Interrupting women in meetings

36. 2. Don’t know how to…
Start
Convince other men to care
Create an inclusive environment

37. 3. Fear of being the lone advocate
Loss of status
Loss of privilege
Discomfort

38. 4. Fear of being misunderstood
coming off as trying to be a hero
coming off creepy
Saying or doing something offensive

39. 5. How to evaluate men & women equally
Overcome gender norms
Unconscious bias
Meritocracy

41. 2.
How might we support men
The prototype toolkit

42. Prototype toolkit

43. Don’t know how to Start
§ Look beyond your usual hiring pools -
privilege and other factors exclude great
talent from those networks
§ Invite women to tech meetups
§ Be more aware of cutting off women
when they speak. If you do, stop and ask
them to continue.

44. Fear of being the lone advocate
§ Start inclusive social clubs:
board games, cycling, financial
investing, movies, books
§ Create project teams that include diverse
perspectives

45. Fear of being misunderstood
§ Meet in public and open spaces
§ Make meetings a routine date & time
§ Introduce them to your significant
other
§ Ask women for feedback -
Does this come off the wrong way?

46. How to evaluate men & women equally
§ Watch videos on unconscious bias
§ Hide identity on resumes (LinkedIn
identity blocker Unbias.io) & conduct
blind code tests
§ Words like guru, ninja in job descriptions
detract women from applying.
Analysis tools: Textio.com & Unitive.com

47. How to evaluate men & women equally
§ Use gender neutral pronouns (they, them)
when talking about open positions
§ Conduct interviews with diverse
colleagues and use a rubric
§ If you have equal candidates, look at the
make up of your team. Are you missing
certain perspectives?

49. Contribute:
Post-it note
http://TechNeedsMoreMen.com/Toolkit
A challenge that holds men back
A tip or tool that might help

50. Thank you