Gender diversity at conferences
Jason Kottke looks behind the numbers, and concludes that gender diversity doesn’t matter as much to conference organizers as they publicly say it does. Interesting post, where he compared the number of men and women speaking at various conferences. LIFT07 ranks fourth – tied with TED – at 23% (the real figure is more around 25% but you get the idea).
This is a true problem. And to complete Jason’s view, I think the following things should also be considered:
• the number of women who were INVITED
For some reason, we (LIFT) have a lesser success rate in our invitations to women speakers. I emailed at least 10 ladies who were not interested or didn’t have time to show up at the end. With men, I think we only got 4-5 no.• the number of women who were scheduled and canceled
This year we had two great ladies who initially thought they could make it, and couldn’t come in the end.• the % of women in the audience
To me that’s almost a bigger deal. People get 80% of the value of a conference outside the rooms, so that should maybe be the main area of focus. This year we tried to make a push here, and I think we succeeded to some extent. I think that if more women show up, more will want to speak in the long term.• the increase in the % of women
To measure the care organizers put into such a question, it might be interesting to measure the increase in the % of women speakers over the years. For LIFT, we had 13% women last year, 23% this year.• the idea that inviting women for the sake of inviting women is not a good thing
The same people who push for more ladies at conferences usually warn us to avoid inviting women because they are women. I think quotas are a negative way to solve problems, the solution is elsewhere, and way beyond conferences.
This has always been a question, and it is not a LIFT or a conference issue, but an industry/society problem. That does not mean I can not do something to help make things better, and more reflective of the reality of technology, a world frequented by an equal number of men and women.
February 25th, 2007 at 9:08 am
very interesting, still I find that the women who shows up at these things are extremely talented and fun – and I think that the tech conference going women are bonding with other women, more than usual – just from the sole reason that we happen to be at conferences together =)..
but let us be a minority – it’s good fun… and I think 25 % is a very nice targetrate of female speakers..
February 25th, 2007 at 9:08 am
very interesting, still I find that the women who shows up at these things are extremely talented and fun – and I think that the tech conference going women are bonding with other women, more than usual – just from the sole reason that we happen to be at conferences together =)..
but let us be a minority – it’s good fun… and I think 25 % is a very nice targetrate of female speakers..
February 25th, 2007 at 1:11 pm
Also Lift had the possibility of suggesting a workshop of yourself which was quite open to everyone.
I too was astonished to see as few women at the conference and if you would have asked me before I would have guessed that due to the programm even more women would show up. Strange.
February 25th, 2007 at 1:11 pm
Also Lift had the possibility of suggesting a workshop of yourself which was quite open to everyone.
I too was astonished to see as few women at the conference and if you would have asked me before I would have guessed that due to the programm even more women would show up. Strange.
February 26th, 2007 at 3:53 pm
I do not get gender issues, really I do not get it. I checked and I am female. I gave a workshop with another female (the ever so bubbly Henriette) and I was up on stage. I got feedback from my talk that had me moved to tears although at the moment my ego would have had me crawl under the carpet…
Even if I do not get it, it is my view that you – Laurent – are doing a fantastic job at making LIFT equal opportunity for all. Congratulations!
February 26th, 2007 at 3:53 pm
I do not get gender issues, really I do not get it. I checked and I am female. I gave a workshop with another female (the ever so bubbly Henriette) and I was up on stage. I got feedback from my talk that had me moved to tears although at the moment my ego would have had me crawl under the carpet…
Even if I do not get it, it is my view that you – Laurent – are doing a fantastic job at making LIFT equal opportunity for all. Congratulations!
February 27th, 2007 at 8:10 pm
Great post, Laurent. Thanks for doing your bit on the gender issue, which is a complex one, in my view. Personally I like a metaphor that presents humanity as a bird with two wings, one female and one male. If both wings are not equally strong, the bird cannot fly.
However, it seems that the female wing is gaining in strength and I believe that the bird of humanity will learn to fly one day (to maintain the metaphor) .
I agree with you that gimmicks such as positive discrimination are an inapropriate way to encourage women to participate in or speak at LIFT. The same criteria for selection of speakers should apply to women and men alike.
February 27th, 2007 at 8:10 pm
Great post, Laurent. Thanks for doing your bit on the gender issue, which is a complex one, in my view. Personally I like a metaphor that presents humanity as a bird with two wings, one female and one male. If both wings are not equally strong, the bird cannot fly.
However, it seems that the female wing is gaining in strength and I believe that the bird of humanity will learn to fly one day (to maintain the metaphor) .
I agree with you that gimmicks such as positive discrimination are an inapropriate way to encourage women to participate in or speak at LIFT. The same criteria for selection of speakers should apply to women and men alike.