mind the gap: on gender and technology
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This talk points out social patterns based on gender, with a special focus on technologyTRANSCRIPT
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
Memi Beltrame
Mind the GapOn Gender and Technology
Liip techday, july 1st 2009
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
This talk points out social patterns based on gender, with a special focus on technology
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
What is Gender?
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
Is it just another word for sex?
Gender: Sex: F M
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
Sex Gender
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
Sex Gender
Biology Society
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
Gender is definded by the social patterns of the male/female
duality
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
These patterns in general stand for stereotypical roles
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
Gender Boundaries are fluid and in constant change, evolving in time,
culture or social environment
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
Gender operates on three levels:
Level 1: Identity
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
Level 1: Identity
● How I present myself● Words I choose & things I say● Things I wear, clothes, jewels● How I move and act● Stuff I like and use
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
Gender operates on three levels:
Level 1: Identity
Level 2: Stuctures & Institutions
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
Level 2: Stuctures & Institutions
● Boy Scout/Girl Scout● Boy/Girl boarding Scools● Locker Rooms● Barber/Beauty Parlor
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
Gender operates on three levels:
Level 1: Identity
Level 2: Stuctures & Institutions
Level 3: Symbolism & representation
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
Level 3: Symbolism & representation
● Images of manhood /womanhood● Assumptions on what a man/woman likes● Behaviour that is expected by a man/woman
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
The male/female duality is reflected by other dualities:
MaleWorkPublicHardBlueIntroversion
FemaleHome
PrivateSoftPink
Extroversion
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
In the Past 40 years the boundaries between these dualisms have been blurred
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
In the Past 40 years the boundaries between these dualisms have been blurred
But the stereotypes are still present today.
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
What has this got to do with technology?
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
Glad you ask!
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
Technology
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
Technology
A simple definition:the engineered products and
services that surround us
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
Ask yourself:Who
● Engineeres● Designs● Produces/Manufactures● Repairs/Maintains● Uses
these products & services?
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
Engineers in Germany2008:
Women: 77'986 11.6%Men: 596'280 88.4%
Source: Verband Deutsche Ingenieure e.V.(German Engineering Association)
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
Architects & Construction engineers
Source: Verband Deutsche Ingenieure e.V.(German Engineering Association)
Electrical engineers
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
Electronics assembly line
Production
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
Source: Bundesamt für Statistik(Swiss Federal Buro of Statistics)
Internet usage in relation to age and sex
MenWomen
15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+
Age
Users
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
Is there gendered technology?
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
#1 The superfluous hair problem
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
#1 The superfluous hair problem
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
#1 The superfluous hair problem
Form follows function Form follows emotions
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
#1 The superfluous hair problem
● Beard trimming for men, with blades
● Full body epilation for women with a wide variety: shaving, waxing, depilatory creams, laser treatment
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
The 1920-40 featured a variety of mostly bizarre techniques:
● Abrasives made from sandpaper● Aggresive chemical treatments● Removal by electrolysis where the hair was galvanised and roasted away,
predecessor of laser treatment.● X-Ray Epilation where the hair was removed by radiation
#1 The superfluous hair problem
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
„Trimming the bush to make the tree look taller“Gillette, Groin-Shaving tips
#1 The superfluous hair problem
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TiJNewpCnY
Watch this and notice the references to technology!
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
#2 Home sweet home
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
#2 Home sweet home
Gadgets!
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
#2 Home sweet home
Gadgets!
And a lot of assumptions!
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
General household tools
Associated with women
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
But of course: the washing machine is repaired by a man...
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
Household tools in a broader sense
Associated with men
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
Leisure items
Associated with men and women
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
Programming
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
A brief history lessonProgramming
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
During World War II the U.S. Army started to use machines to figure out
ballistic trajectories and to solve complex mathematical equations of
wartime research
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
These Machines filled entire houses and tookseveral people tooperate.
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
Nearly two hundred mathematically trained women were recruited.
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
Nearly two hundred mathematically trained women were recruited
They were called „computers“.
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
Ironically the machines would take overtheir name and replace them later in history.
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
So while men engineered the machines women did the programming
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
Since the real bottleneck was engineering the machines, the women's work was regarded as subprofessional.
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
These women never received any credit for their innovations and inventions
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
Once the bottleneck of engineering had been mastered the new major task had become programming the machine.
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
Once the bottleneck of engineering had been mastered the new major task had become programming the machine.
That's the point where men took over.
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
EmancipationClosing the gap
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
● Freedom of choice
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
● Freedom of choice ● Equality :
● Opportunities (education, jobs)● Genuine encouragement ● Credits and rewards (salary, Promotions)
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
● Freedom of choice ● Equality :
● Opportunities (education, jobs)● Genuine encouragement ● Credits and rewards (salary, Promotions)
● Dropping the assumptions on what men/women want, like and need
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
Embrace Difference!Overcome dualities and assumptions!
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
Thank you!
Liip Techday 2009Memi Beltrame: Mind the Gap - On Gender and Technology
Bibliography:
Lerman, Nina E. Et al. Gender & Technology. A Reader. 2003. The John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.
Froidevaux, Yves and Volker G. Täube Internetnutzung in den Haushalten der Schweiz. 2006. Bundesamt für Statistik, Neuchâtel
Statistics on slides 24/25:Verband Deutsche Ingenieure e.V.: Arbeitsmarktdaten Ingenieurwissenschaftenhttp://liip.to/engineerStatsGermany