When ~15% of CS graduates in a nation are women, it's going to be nary impossible for most companies to get too far beyond that.
If companies are hiring commensurate with that level, then that's good on them, it gets very impossible to much beyond that at scale without serious distortions.
'The Pipeline Problem' shouldn't be used as an all out excuse - but - it's a fundamental reality, like gravity.
It's shameful that someone would get sidelined for pointing out the blatantly obvious fact that 'the pipeline' is the problem.
Of course the pipeline is the problem, on what planet do the laws of gravity not apply?
There's always room for discussion, but avoiding the Elephant in the Room is smacks me as a lot of koolaid.
There's a few things that can done beyond that surely, particularly highlighting women and minorities in certain fields so as they don't lack encouragement/role models etc. - but no single company, not even Google is going to move any needle in a short period of time.
Finally, consider this: "The 'problem' may never be solved". There is evidence that as societies evolve, that gender disparity in fields doesn't necessarily increase or decrease. (The classical progressive thinking would have us believe that as we gain more rights etc. gender difference goes away, but this doesn't seem to be the case) We may have to try to create the most 'fair world we can' given that genderism may be an innate feature of human culture, at least for a very long time.
So a) the Pipeline is the primary thing b) we can help make sure people are encouraged and not systematically pushed out c) no one group will change anything d) there may always be differences between genders.
If companies are hiring commensurate with that level, then that's good on them, it gets very impossible to much beyond that at scale without serious distortions.
'The Pipeline Problem' shouldn't be used as an all out excuse - but - it's a fundamental reality, like gravity.
It's shameful that someone would get sidelined for pointing out the blatantly obvious fact that 'the pipeline' is the problem.
Of course the pipeline is the problem, on what planet do the laws of gravity not apply?
There's always room for discussion, but avoiding the Elephant in the Room is smacks me as a lot of koolaid.
There's a few things that can done beyond that surely, particularly highlighting women and minorities in certain fields so as they don't lack encouragement/role models etc. - but no single company, not even Google is going to move any needle in a short period of time.
Finally, consider this: "The 'problem' may never be solved". There is evidence that as societies evolve, that gender disparity in fields doesn't necessarily increase or decrease. (The classical progressive thinking would have us believe that as we gain more rights etc. gender difference goes away, but this doesn't seem to be the case) We may have to try to create the most 'fair world we can' given that genderism may be an innate feature of human culture, at least for a very long time.
So a) the Pipeline is the primary thing b) we can help make sure people are encouraged and not systematically pushed out c) no one group will change anything d) there may always be differences between genders.