Here are some myths about girls and technology. These myths are misinformed and may lead to damages that cannot be reversed. Read this article to widen your thoughts!
1. Coding is a must to be in technology:
When we think about techie people, we imagine that they wear hoodies and go about their work in a dark confined room. This is the image portrayed in most movies and series that we obsessively watch. So, the definition of tech work is quite vast. From using social networking sites in daily life, applying digital payment methods, learning online courses through different mediums, tech has become a part of our life. Within tech, there are different areas that one can choose from to get involved in. From marketing to analysts to product managers, tech is much more than just coding. Tech offers a wide variety of career opportunities that do not involve coding like quality analyzer, database admin, Search Engine Optimizer(SEO) specialist, data analyst, technical recruiter, etc.
2. Girls do not like technology:
This particular myth is surprisingly popular. The above statement throws off the scent of sexism from afar. These Days, there are many organizations like Girls in Tech(GIT), Women who code, Women Leaders in Technology(WLiT), etc working in tech in order to prove: girls do like technology. We have seen an enormous wave of girls from different ages, ethnicities, and communities flock to their programs because of their love of tech. Even in universities, there is an increasing number of women enrolled in Computer Science nowadays. They are highly enthusiastic and want to make their career in tech. This clearly opposes this myth.
3. Technologists are nerds and introverts:
Disclaimer! To all the people reading this.
You don’t have to be a GEEK or NERD to love tech. These terms are just used to bully people in high schools, nothing more. As depicted in movies, neither all techies are nerds nor are they all introverted. Since we agreed that technology is more than coding and technologists can be found in nearly any profession. These people may be coders/tech enthusiasts during the day but they are also musicians, foodies, readers, writers, composers, and other cool stuff. People working in various aspects have different personalities. Some may be introverts or extroverts and some more forward than the others. YOU ARE WHAT YOU ARE!
4. Women don’t have the time/stamina for a career in tech:
We all have heard people say this one too many times. This is used to discourage girls before they even start their journey. Especially, after a girl gets married or becomes a mother, it is said that she cannot have both: a career and a family. It is always women who have to choose or even give up their careers to look after their family. If men can have both, Why can’t she? Women can easily balance their work life and personal life if they genuinely have an interest in their work. In this era of technology, one can easily work remotely. This allows work life and personal life to co-exist. So do you still think women don’t have the time/stamina for a career in tech? I don’t think so.
Happy reading!
About the Author
Salina Karki is a final year Computer Engineering student at Kathmandu Engineering College, Kalimati. She is a Data Science enthusiast aspiring to make her career in the field of Data Science. She writes blogs as her hobby about the topic that interests her. Being an introverted person herself, she expresses her thoughts and feelings through blogs.
Follow her on Linkedin, Medium
