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By: Ana Shuleva (LTXD)
Photo credits: Lesbians Who Tech
The percentage of women in leadership positions at technology companies ranks at about 28% according to a recent survey conducted by McKinsey & Company. The number of queer, and gender non-conforming individuals, in the same space is even lower. A lack of access to meaningful mentorships and technical training, gender-bias, and decades of explicit and implicit barriers are just some of the reasons behind the discrepancies in these numbers. Despite the inequities that exist within the realm of tech, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has released a report stating that “employment in computer and information technology occupations is projected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations from 2022 to 2032”. Jobs within the technology sector pay an average annual wage of approximately $100,530, and have become increasingly sought after as they often boast a healthy work-life balance, substantial pay, and an ability to work on meaningful and complex problems.
Enter “Lesbians Who Tech & Allies,” a five day conference held in San Francisco, California that aims to educate, connect, and enrich the lives of LGBTQ+ women, non-binary, and trans individuals interested in, or working within the tech space. According to the LWT website, the event is the “largest LGBTQ professional community in the world - committed to visibility, intersectionality, and changing the face of technology and most importantly, the only organization that centers on LGBTQ Women, Women of color, and Non-binary leaders.”
In terms of attendance, the conference itself is incredibly inclusive, and all individuals (regardless of sexuality or gender) may attend the event, though the primary aim is to center queer speakers and change-makers, and allow historically marginalized folks within the tech space to connect with one another. Attendees may access the event in person for a cost (prices range from free with a scholarship to $1299 for VIP access). Alternatively, all live and recorded virtual programming can be accessed for free by those who register online. The primary goals of the conference, as listed on the “Lesbians Who Tech & Allies” website includes: “Be more visible to each other, be more visible to others, get more women, POC, and queer and trans people in technology, and connect our community to other organizations and companies that are doing incredible work.”
Past speakers at the event have ranged from political figures such as Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris, to athletes such as Megan Rapinoe, to bestselling authors like Roxanne Gay and Chani Nicholas, to endless amounts of CEOs and COOs working within the tech world. Each speaker brings their own unique flare and perspective to the event, and works to unearth new and innovative ways to rethink what it means to work and play within the world of tech. This year, I was able to attend the conference virtually from the comfort of my home in Brooklyn, during which I had the pleasure of viewing several talks. Here is a rather short, but nonetheless mighty, recap of some of the highlights:
Conference Topics
Conference Topics
The transformative power of AI
GenAI for accelerating the adoption of other emerging technologies (ex. blockchain, augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR), no-code automation, etc.)
Benefits of training AI with "taboo" topics
...and many more!
Airbnb’s global head of operations, Tara Bunch, took to the stage on the final day of the conference to discuss how Airbnb works to develop AI and ML to build trust across the entirety of its platform. Bunch uses humor to highlight how the organization implements both AI and ML to foster safety, trust, and connectedness at Airbnb. She touches upon how the account creation process, search functionality, and general booking system have been streamlined with the help of AI and ML. As Bunch carefully walks the audience through the various product features, she highlights the ways leveraging emerging technologies has allowed Airbnb to create more meaningful and trustworthy user experiences.
In another talk entitled “Competing in the Age of GenAI '', Karalee Close, BCG's Vice Chair of Digital & Technology, opens by speaking about her role as an LGBTQ+ ally and how she supports queer identified folks within her organization. The central topic she then explores touches upon the key tenets future-oriented companies embrace in order to stay competitive, and how organizations can foster a better relationship between human-AI collaboration, especially within the rapidly changing world of generative AI.
Karalee encourages leaders to:
"Reimagine and reinvent businesses to serve all stakeholders
Inspire and enrich the human experience...be your brilliant self!
Execute and innovate through super-charged teams"
While it is eminently clear that the conference acts as a space to share-knowledge, workshop novel ideas, and speak to the complexities of emerging technologies within the world of tech, the real magic of the event lies in its ability to bring about a sense of community, hope, and excitement to a sector that can often feel dystopian, impersonal, and dredged down by bottom-line metrics. At “Lesbians Who Tech & Allies”, individuals are encouraged to conjure up visions of how technology can serve all individuals, and call forth that change with the support of like-minded community members, because after all, technology is best when it brings people together.
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