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So a Baby Walks Into a Tech Conference: Confronting Maternal Bias in the Software Industry

In August 2015, my business/life partner and I both wanted to attend a national software development conference. The only catch? I had a ten week old baby at home. We used Agile software development practices to help us decide what to do and learned some interesting things during our experience.

andreagoulet
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So a Baby Walks Into a Tech Conference: Confronting Maternal Bias in the Software Industry

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  1. SO A BABY WALKS INTO A TECH CONFERENCE CONFRONTING MATERNAL BIAS IN THE SOFTWARE INDUSTRY by Andrea Goulet
 CEO, Corgibytes

  2. @msco/ord @andreagoulet

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  5. GENDERED WORKPLACE NORMS AND POLICIES 
 LIMIT MEN’S AND WOMEN’S ABILITY TO CREATE GENDER EGALITARIAN RELATIONSHIPS. American  Sociological  Review  February  2015  vol.  80  no.  1  116-­‐139 @msco/ord @andreagoulet

  6. WOMEN AND MEN BOTH WANT EGALITARIAN PARTNERSHIPS. 95% COLLEGE EDUCATED WOMEN 75% COLLEGE EDUCATED MEN American  Sociological  Review  February  2015  vol.  80  no.  1  116-­‐139 @msco/ord @andreagoulet

  7. BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN TRADITIONAL WORKPLACE POLICIES AND NORMS MAKE EQUALITY DIFFICULT? American  Sociological  Review  February  2015  vol.  80  no.  1  116-­‐139 @msco/ord @andreagoulet

  8. TRADITIONAL GENDER ROLES American  Sociological  Review  February  2015  vol.  80  no.  1  116-­‐139 @msco/ord @andreagoulet

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  10. MIND BLOWN @msco/ord @andreagoulet

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  12. PROBLEM STATEMENT HOW CAN WE BOTH ATTEND AGILE 2015 WHILE GIVING OUR NEWBORN THE ATTENTION (& FOOD) SHE NEEDS? @msco/ord @andreagoulet

  13. POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS • GET IN-LAWS A SEPARATE ROOM? • MOM STAYS HOME? • DAD SPEAKS THEN WATCHES KID? • HIRE A NANNY FOR WEEK? • BABY COMES WITH US? @msco/ord @andreagoulet

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  15. RISKS • WE’LL GET THROWN OUT • UNPROFESSIONAL • DISRUPTIVE/DISRESPECTFUL • LOSE CREDIBILITY • BABY NEEDIER THAN WE THOUGHT @msco/ord @andreagoulet

  16. BENEFITS • BOTH ATTEND CONFERENCE • BABY GETS WHAT SHE NEEDS • ICEBREAKER • GOOD BONDING EXPERIENCE FOR ALL • DEMONSTRATE NEED FOR CHILD CARE @msco/ord @andreagoulet

  17. What will they 
 think of me? @msco/ord @andreagoulet

  18. What will they 
 think of me? ANDREA ALMOST BAILED AT THE LAST MINUTE @msco/ord @andreagoulet

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  21. RESULTS • OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORTIVE • MANY OTHER PARENTS BROUGHT KIDS • BOTH GOT TO ATTEND CONFERENCE • TALK WENT GREAT • MET LOTS OF AMAZING PEOPLE @msco/ord @andreagoulet

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  24. LESSONS LEARNED • KNOW YOUR CHILD • STAY IN CONFERENCE HOTEL • SMILE & MAKE EYE CONTACT • BRING A PARTNER • BE PREPARED TO MISS CONTENT @msco/ord @andreagoulet

  25. HTTP://GRACEHOPPER.ORG/ATTEND/CHILD-CARE/ @msco/ord @andreagoulet

  26. SUPPORT DIVERSITY IN TECH • REQUEST CHILD CARE AT CONFERENCES • SHOW SUPPORT FOR PARENTS • QUESTION POLICIES & NORMS • LEARN ABOUT UNCONSCIOUS BIAS, ESPECIALLY MATERNAL BIAS @msco/ord @andreagoulet

  27. THANK YOU!! @msco/ord @andreagoulet

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