Feminine Mystique to Movement

It has been 55 years since Betty Friedan’s “The Feminine Mystique” was published. Written in a time when 60% of women dropped out of college to get married, it can serve as a reminder for the strides that have been made, yet, in many ways juxtaposed with where we are, it stands as evidence that much work remains to be done. According to the National Center for Women in Technology, just a quarter of technology jobs are occupied by women. It is also reported that the percentage of women in CIO roles at Fortune 500 companies is less than 20% and has been so for more than a decade. In 2000 14% of CIOs were women. In 2015 the number went up to 17%.

While a slow and minimal advancement, there is more support for women entering and taking leadership roles in technology than ever. It is imperative that women have a bigger role when creating tech architecture. Think of the saying, “he who writes history, makes history.” Ignoring the obvious male pronoun, apply this to the concept that if software and the components that make up the architecture of the Internet — which is fast becoming the largest recording of the past — are created largely without the input of the feminine perspective, there will be gaps in our collective “history.” What legacy will that leave?

This issue’s cover story highlights the winners of the second Top Women in Restaurant Technology awards and the groundbreaking work women are doing to shape the industry. From rising stars and innovators to the influencers receiving lifetime achievement honors, we are thrilled to recognize the achievements of women in a field dominated by men. If the upwelling of nominations received this year is any indication, we are experiencing the effects of this women empowerment movement and it’s epitomized by the words from peers, superiors and those mentored by these women.