Gendered Dichotomies and Segregation Patterns in Computing Jobs in Australia

ABSTRACT

The uneven distribution of women and men in IT employment is often depicted as reflecting a distinction between ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ tasks, skills and attributes. This article uses detailed occupational data on professional computing jobs in Australia to examine the extent to which patterns of gender segregation are consistent with such dichotomies. Additionally, we draw on qualitative interview data from a set of organisational case studies for insights into the ways in which segregation patterns are reproduced and/or reshaped at the workplace level. While perceptions of gendered dichotomies were evident among many of our interviewees, overall our analysis shows considerably more complexity, with segregation patterns not necessarily aligned with clear-cut dichotomies and career directions often directly influenced by the organisation of working time in particular occupational streams.