IBM slammed over #HackAHairdryer campaign [UPDATED]
Several Twitter users criticized the company, saying it’s using sexist stereotypes to encourage women to pursue science and math careers.
Women make up more than half of the United States workforce, but there’s still a disparity in the types of jobs they fill.
A report by the Center for Women in Business reveals that females occupy only one-quarter of U.S. science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) positions. IBM seeks to raise this number with a campaign encouraging women to alter the mechanics of a hairdryer to create something new.
Twitter users have criticized IBM’s effort, saying the company used a sexist stereotype to correct gender imbalance in STEM fields. Several women working in STEM fields responded with snark:
@IBM shame I don’t use a hairdryer. I guess that’s the end of my career in STEM. Brb quitting my astrophysics PhD. #HackAHairDryer
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