The dearth of female speakers at tech conferences is a symptom of the industry's gender gap. Awareness and a bit of extra effort may go a long way toward alleviating the shortfall.
In 2017, a tech company product manager began tweeting about nearly empty women’s restrooms at big tech conferences.1 When these humorous observations went viral, her company was inspired to study women’s representation and experiences at these events. The company’s audit of speaker lineups from major 2016–18 US technology conferences revealed that, on average, only 27 percent of keynote or standalone speakers were female—on par with women’s representation in American tech jobs but far from their portion of the national labor force (see figure).2
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Male-dominated stage lineups are a global phenomenon: Event software company Bizzabo used facial analytics software to scan 60,000 speaker images from thousands of professional events in 23 countries over five years, deducing that 78 percent of tech event speakers are male.3 And a survey of 500 women in the United States and United Kingdom who have attended tech conferences revealed that 70 percent of panelists reported being the “lone woman.”4
In recent years, critics have reproached tech conference organizers for failing to book any female keynote speakers or for having all-male panels (even when discussing, of all things, gender equality).5 However, a shift is occurring, and many prominent tech conferences are diversifying their speaker lineups. The Consumer Electronics Show won praise this year for featuring four female speakers (out of nine) on its keynote stage.6
How much female representation is enough? Some have pointed out that when a tech conference speaker lineup is one-quarter female, it mirrors the representation of women in tech positions. But that highlights a more fundamental issue: Should the industry be satisfied with women’s share of tech positions—and speaking roles—at just 25 percent?
With research showing that diverse teams perform better and are more innovative, leaders across industries are recognizing that a diverse workforce is, as advocates have long suggested, good for business.7 As the tech industry seeks to shape the future, it is aiming to be more representative of that future. Google CEO Sundar Pichai has explained, “A diverse mix of voices leads to better discussions, decisions, and outcomes for everyone.”8
That sentiment applies equally well to tech conferences, which represent a conversation among leaders and practitioners about what’s important for the industry, now and in the future. Bringing speakers with a wider range of perspectives and ideas onto the stage—and more diverse participants into the audience—can be good for creatively driving the conversation and advancing the industry. Moreover, ensuring more female researchers and leaders on stage can give them greater visibility as role models—which may help move the needle on women’s overall tech industry representation.
There are steps that conference organizers, participating companies, and potential speakers can take to help make tech events more diverse:9
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