BY: MATT PETRANZIO

The lack of women and girls in computer science is a well-documented problem. Now it’s time for the average person to finally do something about it.

In the 1980s, even when companies primarily marketed personal computers to boys, there was more gender parity in the professional field. About 37% of computer science undergraduate degrees were awarded to women in 1984; that number decreased to 18% in 2014. It’s estimated only one in every four schools in the U.S. teaches coding, even though56% of teachers think it should be mandatory.

But all these statistics and percentages, and even the general knowledge that there’s an issue, can be overwhelming. You want to help, but you have no idea where to start.

Here are some initial steps you can take to meaningfully advocate for getting girls into computer science in your own community.

1. Know the specific barriers we need to overcome.

Before anything, you need to understand the systemic obstacles preventing girls from getting into coding. Both a culture that persistently ignores and discourages girls’ abilities in computer science, and the lack of access to tools and education, play influential roles.

Reshma Saujani, founder and CEO of Girls Who Code, says it’s deeply ingrained in our culture to let it be OK for girls to say they don’t like math and science.

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