By Gaynelle Brautigam, Head of Innovation at Tactical
Sometimes, inequality isn’t easy to spot until you experience it first-hand.
For example, I never gave much thought to being a second-generation immigrant, until I started applying for my first jobs. Likewise, I had never thought of myself as a “woman at work”, until I became pregnant and was suddenly confronted by the unanimous assumption that I, rather than my husband, would be the one to work less when the baby arrived.
As a hiring manager in my previous team, I used to take it for granted that we had a healthy 50/50 male-female developer team. However, I started to notice how female candidates would consistently sigh with relief upon learning they wouldn’t be the only woman on the developer team.
Simon Whittaker
The reality is that being the only woman in a ‘bro-culture’ team with the usual trappings of toxic masculinity and a base level of sexism that passes for normality is a horrible experience. Ironically, I don’t think many males thrive in that sort of culture either!
Luckily, younger generations today are growing up with a very different idea of the world. There’s a drive to be more inclusive, more open-minded, more inclusive and diverse. However, the fact that we still need an International Women’s Day to keep this movement alive is an annual reminder that there remains a lot of work to be done.
How to inspire inclusion in creative tech
In 2024 many male-dominated teams do want change for the better, but it’s not always easy to facilitate because certain dynamics are ingrained from childhood. For example, young boys often receive Lego, which encourages creativity and problem-solving, whereas young girls often receive dolls, which encourage them to take on a ‘mothering’ role.
But with that being said, change is not impossible. It’s important to recognise that these gendered stereotypes can limit children’s opportunities for exploration and impact their future choices. There needs to be more and continued education throughout our lives and careers around the fact we are not the same and do not receive the same treatment and opportunities. My journey through Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI) training showed me that diversity goes beyond mere representation, it’s also about embracing our individuality and actively creating spaces for those differences.
Linda Bakodi
One great way to champion our differences is through support. Whether that’s support at school or college, from mentors, from other women in the workplace, or elsewhere. We need the industry to put those individuals in the spotlight to make sure that the young girls of today who will grow up to be the women of the future will not have to feel alone in their uphill battle.
We also need more transparency and regulation. Getting away with not paying women the same as men, or treating them differently, is much easier when it’s invisible. It’s clear that “letting the market regulate itself” simply isn’t working or, it’s taking way too long. If women were able to see the differences more clearly, I think the timeline towards true equality could be reduced significantly.
Advice for life
I’m personally super grateful for all the incredible women who have inspired me on my own journey through the industry. I’d like to give a special mention to Mariette Huber, Head of EMEA at Reddit, who has been a friend and inspiration to me. Before I met Mariette, I didn’t acknowledge or embrace that being a woman is very different from being a man in this industry. Making that mental shift has had a huge impact on my life and career.
My advice to other women would be to find your own mentor. I wish someone had told me sooner that I don’t have to figure everything out by myself. It’s good to be able to ask someone who is not a friend, relative, or co-worker for their opinion about things you normally wouldn’t question out loud.
Gleb Toropov
Another key piece of advice would be to follow your own path. The world has become a tiny place, especially in creative tech. There are so many communities, tutorials, niches, and paths to be wandered. It’s really easy to fall into the trap of accommodating to what an employer needs. You blink twice and three years have passed and you are stuck in the same place wondering “what happened?”.
In the tech space, you need to always be on top of ‘what's next’. Create space for yourself to reflect, feel, dream, and find inspiration about the direction you want for you.
This International Women’s Day, let’s challenge inequality wherever we find it.
