Women and technology: Do they really go together?

- By Manisha Massey

“So, where are you interning?”

“This organization called Feminist Approach to Technology. I think it is simply brilliant! It believes that women should get a voice in the society by getting access to technological means. So that’s what they do! They introduce these young history makers, who do not necessarily have access to basic technology, to computers, photography and film making. I think this is such a fun way for girls to learn about themselves as women in India!”

“But…that’s a guy thing. Isn’t that a misfit? I mean…girls are technologically handicapped. Unless when it’s about using the microwave!” *roars of laughter*

Yes. This was the most common response I got when people heard of this organization. Well, why wouldn’t they react like that since such a notion is imbibed in the very soul of our patriarchal society? Boys deal with the computers; girls help their mommies in the kitchen. Boys play video games; girls play in their doll houses. Boys design games and apps; girls design…well…clothes! And what happens in a house where a computer breaks down? If there is a boy and a girl in that house, it’s the boy who is thought to be skilled enough to fix it. Regardless of his degree, mind you. Fixing computers isn’t something that a woman is believed to be capable of doing.

But, ask yourself this: why not? Who said women are not capable? Who set this norm? Who made this gender-role demarcation? Who decided that women are a “misfit” in this tech savvy world? In a way, we did. And yes, by we, I mean, the womenfolk. The delicate, fragile, complacent-with-this-stereotype womenfolk! We believe, and let our male counterparts also believe, that we are not good enough, not smart enough, not intelligent enough to learn the intricacies of something as instructionally simple and crucial as technology.

If you’re reading this and you’re a man who believes that women are a misfit in the world of technology, do me a favor and get off your high horses. If you’re a woman who believes that women are a misfit in the world of technology, get on your high horses and know that you can make a difference. By learning to work their way around technology, girls learn to speak up.

How else do you think you’re reading what I just wrote?

Manisha Massey is a graduate in psychology from Delhi University who is currently interning with FAT.