While for the time being Silicon Valley, startup culture and the expected face of tech, whether geek or chic, remain overwhelmingly male – specifically young, white and male – and even exposés on women’s experience in this climate sometimes fail to get past their over-sexualized cover graphics to the meat of the issue, SXSW’s 2015 Interactive lineup is here to tell us: times are changing.
Women are not only taking the lead in changing the gender demographics of STEM fields but are also asking tough questions about media representation and personal branding. Panelists are looking to crack old-fashioned stereotypes of what women can’t do as well as break down the latest self-imposed standards of what they must do.
Here are five panels – by women, for women – where speakers will discuss candidly the issues women face in today’s digital landscape and how to face them head-on.
Impact: Taking My Chance to Lead
Date: Saturday, March 14
Time: 11:00am-12:00pm
Location: Austin Convention Center
Ballroom A
500 E Cesar Chavez St
Ari Horie, Founder and CEO of Women’s Startup Lab and popular SXSW V2V speaker returns to share her experiences in the creation of her own company. Women’s Startup Lab began with the goal of encouraging other female entrepreneurs and providing them with community and support along the way.
The company is based on the concept of “hitology,” which is inspired by the japanese symbol hito. Two ink strokes lean against each other to form the character that means “human.” In this way, Women’s Startup Lab encourages women supporting each other but also holding one another accountable.
Unfiltered: Do Women Need to Get Real on Instagram
Date: Sunday, March 15
Time: 12:30pm-1:30pm
Location: JW Marriott
Salon 8
110 E 2nd St
In Unfiltered, speakers Lori Leibovich of RealSimple, Farah Miller of The Huffington Post and Glynnis Macnicol of TheLi.st take on the hyper-edited nature of Instagram and the effect this pursuit of perfection, and potential denial of reality, is having on women. Led by Leibovich, the three will debate how audiences and content-creators can manage the discrepancies between social media’s idealism and the mess hidden just beyond the frame of the camera.
To combat the potential negative psychological consequences of this constant need for perfection, Real Simple will launch Real Women IRL, an Instagram account dedicated to unfiltered moments.
Girl Power(ed)
Date: Saturday, March 14
Time: 3:30pm-4:30pm
Location: JW Marriott
Salon 1
110 E 2nd St
Delivering a sort of State of the Union for women in tech, Christina Warren of Mashable, Hui Li of Airware, Tracy Chou of Pinterest and Surabhi Gupta of Airbnb will explain why the time is now for women in STEM fields.
From examining the experience of being the minority gender in a field, which they say is not always a bad thing, to looking at some specific differences of the female tech experience these speakers will focus on the realities women face and the advances they’re bringing to the tech industry.
She’s a C-Word! Lessons from Tech’s C-Suite Women
Date: Saturday, March 14
Time: 5:00pm-6:00pm
Location: JW Marriott
Salon 1
110 E 2nd St
This panel will navigate the merciless Silicon Valley market and the extra challenges women face in their pursuit of C-level positions.
Kara Swisher of Re/Code, who is a well-known tech columnist and commentator, will moderate a panel featuring three C-level women execs; Kira Wampler, CMO of Trulia; Lisa Stone, CEO of BlogHer; and Sara Clemens, CSO Pandora.
The speakers will share their personal and professional stories and illuminate how the journey to leadership can be different for women.
End to Brogramming? How Women are Shaping Tech
Date: Friday, March 13
Time: 5:00pm-6:00pm
Location: JW Marriott
Salon 1
110 E 2nd St
Elle.com, a huge digital force in women’s publications, has taken on the issue of women in tech. The website has put together a panel to debate some of the questions looming over the state of the tech industry and the “pink ghetto.”
Returning is Kara Swisher of Re/code, and joining her are Leah Chernikoff of Hearst Magazines Digital Media, Danae Ringelmann of Indiegogo and Danika Laszuk of Jawbone.
The panel will speculate as to the future of tech as more and more women begin to join and impact the field. They’ll also discuss the issue of hostility towards women within the industry and how the “brogrammer” culture is changing – or will be forced to change.
These are just a few of the many panels Interactive has lined up led by women and dealing with issues highly relevant for women in the digital future. However, these impassioned and accomplished females are getting straight to the point and starting the conversation off strong.