Programming for All - A Feminist Case for Language Design 2

Explore the intersection of gender, feminism, and programming language design in this conference talk by Professor Felienne Hermans from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Examine the historical shift from programming being a female-dominated field where "computers" were women, many of color, to today's male-dominated landscape of mainstream programming language creation. Discover how this demographic transformation led to the development of an overwhelmingly masculine discourse in programming language construction and design. Learn about the creator's work on the Hedy programming language and her research on feminism in programming language design. Analyze the impact of masculine discourse on current programming language development through the lens of feminism and Science and Technology Studies (STS). Gain insights into alternative approaches to programming language design that could create a more inclusive future for the field. Understand how historical gender dynamics continue to influence modern programming language development and explore potential pathways toward more equitable language design practices.