Apple or Adobe accused of Sexism
Apple CEO Tim Cook has admitted that greater diversity was required, in an interview earlier this summer he said the fault lies with the tech industry as a whole failing to reach out to women. According to a report by the AAUW, only 26 percent of science, technology, engineering and mathematics jobs are held by women, falling from 35 percent in 1990.
The world heard earlier this week about how Apple is launching its iPad Pro and the new Apple TV. At the event , to illustrate main features and quirks of the new iPad Pro, Eric Snowden, Adobe’s director of mobile design displayed Adobe’s updated suite of editing apps. A woman’s smile being “fixed” using software by a man and that lead to accusations of sexism against Apple and other tech firms – who still employ more men than women
.Snowden proceeded to edit an image of a woman, digitally manipulating, or “fixing”, her mouth so that she appeared to be smiling, and told the crowd, “I wish she had a little bit more of a smile. I think it would warm up the design quite a bit. Luckily we have an app for that.”
Despite applause and laughing in the auditorium afterwards, accusations of sexism followed on Twitter. Disappointed users questioned Snowden’s use of language “how did someone at Apple OR Adobe not think through the optics of a dude “fixing” a woman’s smile?”
Another wrote,”Now Adobe can literally “Fix” pouty women for you. Way to go guys!”
Many found the demonstration too reminiscent of men, often strangers, asking women to smile – a demand many women find demeaning and rude
As the event unfolded, spectators pointed out that only three women were featured in last Wednesday’s presentation. Of the three, only one was an Apple employee.
One user wrote: “only 3 women so far have graced the Apple event stage compared to the 10+ men. And of course, a woman is talking about shopping. Hmm.”
And yet, this figure is in fact the largest number of women presenting in a single recent Apple event. In June 2014 – where the Apple Watch and iPhone 6 were launched – no women presented.
“We need role models. To have Apple’s big launch only featuring a few women, doesn’t give girls an encouraging message about technology being a future career, ” according to Lisa Maatz, Vice President of Government Relations at the American Association of University Women (AAUW)
Seven out of every ten employees at Apple was male, it appears Apple has taken strides to improve. In August 2015, it was announced that Apple has hired 11,000 women over the past year, a 65% increase from the year before.