Lady Geek

The current economic crisis has raised many questions in regards to whether it fosters or harms gender inclusivity. Recent reports seem to suggest that it harms rather than helps the diversity and inclusivity agenda. However what can we learn from previous downturns?

The technology industry faced a crisis after the dot.com bubble burst. Sarah Dempsey, whose article ‘The Increasing Technology Divide – Persistent portrayals of maverick masculinity in US marketing’ was interested in what happens to gender inclusivity in times of crisis. She studied advertisements in Wired, the flagship magazine of the technical revolution, in 2000 and 2006.

Prior to the year 2000 the assumption was that the digital revolution is leading to an egalitarian lifestyle where everyone regardless of gender, race or ability could enjoy the newly found freedoms of technology. However by 2006 the industry had gone through the dot.com bust.

Sarah Dempsey’s detailed study of advertising in Wired in 2000 found three portrayals. First, men were seen as the main consumers of technology and women were mainly used as objects. Second, in an attempt to attract a wider audience more ‘Average Joes’ appeared in the adverts. Finally, technology was portrayed as empowering for men and women but the portrayals followed strict gender guidelines. Men were empowered as users of technology though maverick figures that resisted the mainstream. Women were empowered through technology through ‘damsel in distress’ narratives. Here a victimized woman would be rescued by technology.

How did these portrayals change in the year 2006? In the year 2006 the adverts were dominated by nerds and geeks. This supports the ideal of the masculine maverick figures. In contrast to the 2000 adverts, women were less likely to be used as objects. This might be related to the fact that many companies became increasingly aware of stereotypical gender portrayals of women. However the research found that overall, technology adverts were much less inclusive in 2006 than in 2000. Many more adverts were targeted at the white, male consumer. This research indicates that in a crisis, people tend to convert back to mainstream thinking leading to less diverse and inclusive gender portrayals. 

This clearly shows that advertising portrayals of men and women engaging with technology have to change. Women need to be seen in active roles as users and creators of technology. We also need to see more variety in the portrayals of men. Instead of just confirming the tired cliché of the masculine maverick, men have to be shown in relevant contemporary situations which allow men with different background to identify with them. The media plays a crucial role in shaping our views of the world and it is therefore crucially important that there are realistic yet aspirational role models for women and indeed men in technology that are displayed in leading magazines like Wired. Particularly in a crisis.