Reading the article, "Exposing Hidden Bias at Google" by Farhad Manjoo, has gifted me with a different perspective of gender roles in our modern day society. Women, just like men, are born with the same intellectual capacity to be successful and any limitations setting a woman for failure would be a grave, unjust violation to them. As noted in this article, the general figures in society currently judge and make partially bias decisions without the true intent to harm. Yet, our society will always find a way to bring this bias into reality because of the past conceived assumptions regarding gender and race. Still, the subjugation of women is still a pressing topic everyone must attempt to resolve. Google has tried to repent for their mistakes by holding workshops that introduce aspects of a more gender and racially diverse workplace. I believe this is a beneficial step that our society is taking towards a partial, equal environment for everybody but it is only the beginning.
Statistics in this article written by Manjoo have vividly depicted an uneven representation of both gender and race. This is undeniably true but what factors truly lead to this bane? Do women lack such roles due to nonjudicial opportunities or because of their shortcomings in the standards necessary? I consider this to be attributed to women's roles in the past and their transition to our society today. Not too long ago, women had a lesser role in our society. The transition to an era where women have high positions in our country have not been yet implemented to its fullest. Due to this, women don't always have the mindset to strive for the top positions in companies because of the intimidation companies with mostly men ensue. So, women should be able to aim for success without the fear of being evaluated because of their gender.
Most tech companies have a higher ratio of men to women in the workforce and this can also be associated with a matter of career choice. Typically, men may seek positions in tech companies purely out of a greater interest. The conformity of the high male representation in this industry is also a deciding factor for career choice of both genders. The lower percentage of women in these companies may make women generally feel out of place. However, if women desire to do this field of work, they should never be denied the right to do so. One must be judged on their actions and decisions and not by appearance, race, or gender.
The concept of unconscious bias towards women can also affect how young minds think. They must know that it is not a just aspect in our current world and that change is essential. With attempts such as Google and tech corporations are making, the essence of equal opportunity for everyone might be reached sooner.
