The recent news that Mattel is about to release Software Engineering Barbie has me reflecting on my childhood and my route to a career in software engineering.
As a little girl I idolized my father who was a mechanical services engineer. I was a “tom boy” and my father always encouraged my interest in science, engineering and computers by spending a small fortune feeding my technology addiction. I aspired to be just like my dad and to me a career in engineering seemed like a fascinating and obvious choice. When it came to discussing my career ambitions with my dad I was devastated when he tried to discourage me from becoming an engineer by telling me bluntly that he’d never hire a female engineer and couldn’t think of one of his friends who would.
Dad was probably as devastated as I was to have to have that conversation, but it was Ireland in the early 80s and there were girl’s schools in Ireland back then that didn’t even teach math to the level required to qualify to study engineering at the University level.
Some teenagers rebel against their parents by getting tattoos, body piercings, having a child out of wedlock, or abusing drugs; I rebelled by acquiring a degree in electronic engineering.
My sister Tara was my polar opposite. From an early age it seemed that Tara’s ambition in life was to get married and become the perfect wife and mother. Tara was as obsessed with dolls and dresses as I was with mechanics and computers. Tara would probably have been the perfect target market for Computer Engineering Barbie but I suspect that Tara’s Barbie would not have been slinging code, but instead would have been posting photos of her perfect family on Facebook and Skyping with her husband Ken who was the multi-millionaire founder of an internet start-up. Would Software Engineering Barbie have changed Tara’s career ambitions? Not a chance!
I’ve never owned a Barbie in my life. In fact growing up I loathed everything that Barbie and her gender stereo-typing stood for. Does the fact that Software Engineering Barbie will soon join the Barbie stable of playmates mean that Software Engineering is now considered an acceptable profession for Barbie loving girly-girls?
I’m visiting Scotland in a couple of weeks to speak at a Girl Geek event and will be visiting universities in Edinburgh and Glasgow while I’m there. I plan to ask the latest crop of female engineering students what their take on this whole Barbie thing is, and post a follow-on blog then.
If you want Deb’s take on Software Engineering Barbie, you can check out her blog on the topic here. John Smedley pointed me to the following link which includes ideas on how to make Computer Engineer Barbie more realistic.
Epilogue: My father passed away during the time that we were forming Actian Corporation but he couldn’t have been prouder of my accomplishments. Tara went on to marry Stephen, a software engineer, and is now the perfect wife and mother and a regular Facebook updater.
Great story. I grew up with a Dad who worked in technology services but I was lucky that he never discouraged me from pursuing a career in his field. I have mixed feelings about Computer Engineer Barbie. I’m not a big fan of Barbie, but showing a female in a technology role to young girls might reverse some of the stereotypes. Not sure.
Emma,
I really enjoyed your blog!!! I love it when you write stories from your childhood.
The idea of a new Barbie did make me roll my eyes though, I often watch these commercials about new Barbie dolls that come out and I can’t imagine anyone playing with it, they try to make it look exciting in the commercials, but it’s a doll, it doesn’t do anything, how is that exciting? I guess you really need to be a little girl to understand this
I wonder if this is a trend? I wonder if women in engineering ever played with Barbie dolls. I doubt a software engineering Barbie will influence the little girls to consider software engineering profession when they grow up. That’s just my 2 cents.
Are they going to update the Barbi Corvette with a navigation system, iPod hookup and XM radio too? A true software engineering geek doll should have all the tech toys.
Just read your name in the guests column of the Girls Geek Dinner and I wanted to know about you So here I am. It was nice reading your blog..
Looking forward to meet you on 11th March.
I think Computer Engineer Barbie is a good idea its like taking one of the steps towards encouraging young girls to aspire to have career in our field. When you are a Kid your life is like a white paper; things you deal with leave impact on you; you tend to become like those around you. So yes I can see the point.
It’s rather sad but some people still think Computer Engineering isn’t a girly realistic career choice for a woman. I don’t remember having much interest in playing with Barbie or being a girlie girl either but not to blame myself I guess never had computer engineering Barbie that time : >
I always wanted to do something that is considered to be not or less possible so I stepped into the field and counting days to my graduation this summer. Looking forward to explore new possibilities into the real Computer world. Absolutely loved it!
P.S Everyone out there if by looking at barbie’s shirt those tiny 01010101 makes u wonder what they are than come along and explore the field!
Sana Suhail
Bsc(Hons) Computer Science
(Final year Student) —-University of Hull—-
United Kingdom
Hi Emma!
I really enjoyed this post, esp that your way of rebelling was getting an EE degree. That rocks.
gabrielle (I met you [very briefly] last year at OSBridge.)
You are more then welcome to indulge in our world if you want, but you must understand that it is our world. You are welcome to join us. Otherwise, leave us alone.
I think they should have a Barbie with a buzz cut.