PyConZA 2014: "A journey through the eyes of a newbie female developer" by Ridhwana Khan

Graduating from a 90% male computer science class, to an initially 100% male software development team, finally allowed me to realise that there is a dire lack of women in the computer science field.

Entering this industry in a minority invokes initial feelings of the need to constantly prove oneself and one's capabilities – normally this puts one at an immediate disadvantage. However, given the correct circumstances, surrounding environments and attitudes, these adverse feelings can quickly be replaced with self-confidence. I was fortunate enough in my daily working environment to have my opinion given the weight that it deserved.

However, experience has also taught me that the sailing is not always so smooth within every aspect of the development field. Certain environments are a lot less welcoming to women because of the strange misconception that they are going against the norms of society.

As a newbie, within the development industry, one has to be able to adapt and have an open mind to gain unbounded knowledge and learning experiences. The world of development is a polyglot environment and striving to build an ambitious career involves lots of hard work and dedication.

I would like to take the audience on a journey to experience the obstacles, growth and challenges that I’ve faced. I also aim to provide concrete suggestions on increasing female willingness to join the tech industry, and improving co-existence in the development environment.

As a developer, my goal is to provide inspiration to capable young women, to fathers who have daughters, brothers who have sisters, and men who have female colleagues. To convey that I have embraced the development environment, and that we within the tech industry should never shy away from the opportunity to increase our pool of passionate developers.

We are proudly South African and most definitely should be known for our diversity….

Transcript

1. Journey through the eyes of a newbie female developer by Ridhwana Khan
2. Background
3. “Newbie”
4. “Alice in Wonderland”
5. Growth When Alice eats, she grows. When Alice drinks, she shrinks
6. Growth When Alice eats, she grows. When Alice drinks, she shrinks
7. Decide where you want to be going "Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?" "That depends a good deal on where you want to go," said the Cat. "I don't much care where--" said Alice. "Then it doesn't much matter which way you go," said the Cat. "--so long as I get somewhere," Alice added as an explanation. "Oh, you're sure to do that," said the Cat, "if you only walk long enough."
8. Stop doing things that get you nowhere “It takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place ” - The Red Queen
9. Believe in the Impossible "There's no use in trying," Alice said, "one can't believe impossible things." "I daresay you haven't had much practice," said the Queen. "When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast."
10. So what’s it like to be a female developer?
11. Inspiration
12. -Reshma Saujani, Founder of Girls who Code “Our words can have a huge impact. Isn't it time we told her that she is pretty brilliant too? Encourage her love of Science and Technology, and inspire her to change the world”
13. Motivational home environment
14. Male-Dominated Environment
15. “First impressions last a lifetime”
16. “A woman bragging that she is in IT, is like a man bragging that he is a nurse” -Tweetster
17. Men everywhere…
19. The sailing is not always so smooth
20. Existential Crisis
21. “Pack mentality”
22. Hotspots for prejudice and harassment HOTSPOT
23. “Girls Can’t Code” Girls cant w hat ???
24. “Brogrammer” Jokes “Sexist humour doesn’t create sexism where it doesn't exist, ! but allows for the release of sexism where it does”! -Dr Thomas Ford
25. “No female wants to be known as the women who cried sexism for fear of being labeled a tattletale, a liability, or, at the very least, not worth the trouble. ”! -Issie Lapowsky (Wired)
27. Conclusion
29. “Never limit yourself because of others’ limited imagination;! never limit others because of your own limited imagination. ”! -Issie Lapowsky (Wired)
30. Credits • http://www.positivelypresent.com/2010/03/ wonderland.html ! • http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2014-08/05/ sexism-in-tech-industry ! • http://www.wired.com/2014/07/gender-gap/
31. The End….