Fe+male Tech Heroes, our initiative that strives for greater gender equality and diversity in tech, hosted a one-time event last week for an exceptional audience:

Male Allies.

"We created a psychologically safe place where men can learn who we are, why it matters that they are part of this mission and give them tools to become better male allies for females in tech."

In this blog you can download the insights and tips from the event, including a shortlist of books, articles, podcasts and documentaries on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion that are worth looking into. 

"Why did you organize an event only for men in tech?!" A legitimate question we often received. Because as you know, we are a community for everyone. Yet we very deliberately chose to organize this one-time event. We noticed that there is a barrier for men in the tech world to discover whether Fe+male Tech Heroes can also be a platform and community for them. And we want to lower that threshold. 

Currently, 90 percent of our participants are women. We fully embrace our female role models; they are the reason we started this initiative. But to achieve true gender equality, we need everyone. And that includes men. That's why we want to invite more men to participate in the Fe+male Tech Heroes mission.

Download the insights from the Male Allies event!

So, we called on our Male Allies. The guys who invite women to the table, opening a space for them and pulling out the chair. That’s why we called on male allies in the tech community to share the many ways they help women not just sit at the table but run the meeting.

💡 Male allyship begins with respect… and not just respect for women in tech but respect for anyone who doesn’t look like you, diversity in all its colors, ages, shapes and sizes.

💡 Bias awareness. Tune into your own biases and recognize when you behave according to your biases, whether unconscious, conscious or otherwise. Stop for a moment and think about why you do what you do.

💡 Don’t look at the gaps in women’s CVs. Sometimes women make the choice to have a family. Instead, look at the skills they have and hire and promote based on their qualifications, not family choices. #hirepeoplenotpaper

💡 It’s “just” semantics. Why do men take a “papadag,” but women work “part-time?” It’s the same thing, right? Why do we say “guys” when we address a group? Little words make a huge difference.

More insights? Download the information package here.