‘CodeGirl’ Documentary Gets a Boost From YouTube and Al Gore

[Uncle Joe]

YouTube is hosting free online distribution this week of “CodeGirl,” a new documentary that pushes to close the gender gap that leaves women hugely under-represented in the technology world.

YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki announced Sunday that the streaming video site would host the doc through Nov. 5 “to inspire more girls around the world to pursue their passions in tech.”

(snip)

Wojcicki said in a post to the official blog of Google (YouTube’s parent) that she wanted to support the film to help bring more young women into technology jobs. She noted that women earn the majority of bachelor’s degrees in the U.S., but fewer than 20% of the computer science degrees.

“The problem of getting girls more interested in tech has many sources, but according to Google’s own research, one of them is optics,” wrote Wojcicki. “Girls don’t see positive role models of other girls and women in popular culture. In a study of popular films in 11 countries, fewer than 20 percent of computer science or tech roles were held by women.”

(snip)

In a tweet, director Chilcott described a Code Girl as “someone who looks around them and says, hey, I see a problem, how can I use technology to solve it?” The film also received a Twitter shout-out from former Vice President (and “An Inconvenient Truth” star) Al Gore, as well. “Watch @CODEGIRLMOVIE from my friend @LesleyChilcott and encourage girls to code. #RallyForCODEGIRL,” Gore wrote.

http://variety.com/2015/digital/news/code-girl-online-youtube-1201631712/#

[valerief]

1. I guess India and China don't want to send their women to the U.S. with H1B visas. nt

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

2. I am a "code girl" or "code woman"

I would encourage girls and boys to learn about math, science, and computer science, but I wouldn't specifically direct them towards a career in tech. Too much outsourcing in tech.

[justiceischeap]

3. I'm a "CodeWoman"

I've been a successful front-end developer for 14 years or so.

I worked freelance until Bush tanked the economy, then had to take on "real" work. None of my jobs have been outsourced (though I did work many contract positions but that was by choice because they were good opportunities that looked good on my resume--NPR, PBS, PETA--all very well-known non-profit organizations). I've also found that many organizations and companies want someone on premises, so that's good in my field--it makes outsourcing less attractive.