The everyday technology we all use such as an alarm on our phone, GPS to get to class, or work saved on our laptops appears to be gender neutral in this context. Using technology may not seem to be gendered at all. If we think back to when technology was introduced to the home, it was due to the man in the household. Fathers had computers for working at home, while a mother continued to use paper and pen to track the family bank account. Brothers played video games while their sisters learned how to use an easy bake oven that transferred into the skills needed to do the “motherly” duty of baking for their family.
New technology in household appliances was pushed onto women to help make their housework easier. Household gadgets are undeniably connected to women’s labor in the home. There is technology that is feminized. Take a look at reproductive technologies like birth control and tampons. While seen as liberating to women, these technologies were invented by men to make their lives easier.
Technology that has been created specifically aimed at women deepens gender stereotyping. This is seen when women are warned about different machinery, expensive computers and complicated technology. In rural India, there is a myth that a woman’s touch would destroy technology. Looking at the beginning of this blog again, can technology really be gender neutral?
Technology in the past has been gendered towards men through inventions that changed the workforce, education for men and the military. This past has continued into the present with girls raised to fear STEM education and careers throughout the world. Women have been excluded from learning and new technology. This only creates a larger power dynamic between men and women with men given even more power with new technology.
To fix this, feminist technology (feminism meaning equal) is needed to empower women and close the digital divide that exists between genders. The basic definition of “Feminist Technology” can be described as, “technological innovations that would enhance women’s lives through women’s agenda to make them equal” (Layne).
Technology must also be looked at how it will impact the lives of women, regardless of the inventor’s gender. Tampons were invented by men with a sexist view of menstruation. Female contraceptive pills, on the other hand, were invented by a man to allow for more options for women. Technology like pink phones or bedazzled cases may have been invented by a woman but do not improve women’s lives. They only reinforce gender stereotypes.
Source:
-Hannah Moskowitz
Hi Hanna,
ReplyDeleteThis is a very interesting topic you bring up in your blog post!
When I first read through your blogpost I thought you were referencing only to electronic technology. I later understood that your post was actually referencing to any technological improvements including electronics.
I do agree with your post that many things within our environment are gendered, targeted towards a specific gender through advertising, or even through color schemes and packaging, even if it is a unisex/gender neutral product.
Pulling from a section in your blog post –
“Technology that has been created specifically aimed at women deepens gender stereotyping. This is seen when women are warned about different machinery, expensive computers and complicated technology. In rural India, there is a myth that a woman’s touch would destroy technology.” (Moskowitz H.)
From the first sentence in the above quote – I believe some specific products do further gender stereo typing. A classic example of this is, men’s and women’s razors. To further this, (I am not asking you specifically, so please don’t feel like I am putting you on the spot :) ) why must women if they choose to buy women’s razors have to pay a pink tax? What about women’s razors is so “technologically advanced” that women must pay more for feminine styled razors than men pay for masculine styled razors? The color schemes on them obviously differ, as well as the packaging. Men’s razors are typically dark in color and typically come packaged with more razors in the package than do women’s razors. Women’s razors are typically color schemed in light vibrant colors. I have also noticed that the handles are more robust – Does this warrant a higher price tag?
In your second sentence from the quote above – I believe (form American women) that women being warned about machinery, expensive computers and complicated technology has a lot to do with sexism. For some individuals, they honestly belief that women are less intelligent than men, or are less capable than men to learn how to use varying types of technology. The belief that women are less capable of learning about various types of technology and machinery is likely due to the type of socialization, type of toys, and actives men and women are provided with as children – you mentioned this gendered upbringing in the first part of your blog post – Research has shown that at a young age when the child’s brain is still developing, that different types of toys boys and girls are given to play with aid in the development of their brain differently, resulting in the development of different sets of skills.
The quote from Layne makes me curious what an example of a technological innovation would be to enhance women’s lives and bring men and women closer to equal status.
I personally believe that in order to bring men and women closer to equal status, we need to start with a less gendered socialization of the next generation. That children should be brought up socializing with each other. The less gender segregation the better. That teachers must pay equal attention to boys and girls when in the class room. As this will help prevent females from fearing the STEM fields.
Cultures deeply engrain gender stereo types into their society. Many times gendering of a child starts before birth with planning the name of the child, planning of the gender reveal party, and what colors of balloons should be provided… etc. I believe a less gendered technology starts with a less reinforced gendered upbringing of children, and with less segregation of boys and girls. Equal access to technology, and less discrimination of women will follow.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete