The invisibilization of women in digital technology
In her book "Les oubliées du numérique" (2019), Isabelle Collet, computer scientist and sociologist, answers an essential question: why are women so underrepresented in digital professions? She also explores why their contributions are often ignored or erased.
A history of disappropriation
Collet shows that, in the 1950s-1970s, programming was often entrusted to women, as it was considered a subordinate task, similar to secretarial work. But as the profession gained prestige and recognition, men gradually took over the sector, relegating women to the background. This phenomenon is what Collet calls the "disappropriation" of women from the field.
READ MORETowards a more inclusive digital culture
The book does not merely explain this evolution; it also proposes concrete avenues for making the sector more inclusive. Collet advocates for educational reform, an active fight against gender stereotypes, the promotion of female role models and a transformation of the imaginaries linked to technology.
The work is aimed at a wide audience: educators, decision-makers, students and professionals in the sector. It constitutes a call to action to promote a more egalitarian digital culture, where women regain their rightful place in the history and future of computing.
READ MORE"Women are not absent from digital technology: they have been made invisible." — Isabelle Collet
