The #MeToo Movement May Have Started in Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley’s gender inequality problem is no secret.
But the situation can be fixed, according to Emily Chang author of the book “Brotopia” and host of Bloomberg Technology.
“The #MeToo movement started in Silicon Valley,” she says.
Years before the reckoning in Hollywood, women like venture capitalist Ellen Pao and Uber’s Susan Fowler spoke out about harassment and discrimination. Their efforts, Chang says, made it “safer for more women to come forward.”
“That’s part of why I wrote the book,” says Chang. “To keep that conversation going and not lose the momentum that some of these courageous women have ignited.”
According to Chang, the gender pay gap in Silicon Valley is five times the national average. In the traditionally male-dominated tech industry, too many find themselves “the only women in the room.”
And there are cultural issues as well. Chang’s book takes an inside look at the social scenes of powerful executives, investors, and entrepreneurs, which include things like “sex parties” and a range of other similarly inappropriate activities.
“All of this perpetuates an uncomfortable environment for women and a power dynamic that is completely lopsided.”
Silicon Valley hasn’t always been this skewed.
“Women actually played vital roles in the computer revolution [in the 40s and 50s],” Chang says. “They were programming computers for the military and programming computers for NASA. Think ‘Hidden Figures’, but really industrywide.”
Dominick Passanante of Panasonic Connect breaks down the innovations behind TOUGHBOOK and why rugged tech is more relevant than ever in today's mobile workforce
Voya Financial CEO Heather Lavallee marks 10 years of Voya Cares, spotlighting research and expanding financial access for Americans with disabilities.
When Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (above) and Fed chair Jay Powell jointly summon America’s top bankers to a meeting in Washington, you know it’s big.
Kim Crawford Goodman, CEO of Smarsh, breaks down how financial firms are scaling AI while managing compliance, risk, and regulation in a changing landscape.
Elizabeth Renter, Senior Economist at NerdWallet, breaks down how inflation and oil price shocks are driving higher costs and squeezing consumers today.
