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Your International Women’s Day Reading List

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Today is International Women’s Day. While A LOT has changed in tech since we started as Ladies Learning Code in 2011, there’s still so much work to be done.

According to Statistic Canada’s Intersectional perspective on the Canadian gender wage gap, the percentage of Canadian-born women in professional jobs has only risen to 31% in over a decade, rising even less for Indigenous women and immigrant women landing as adults.

The current political landscape is just beginning to unravel – and it’s one that is undergoing significant shifts that exacerbate existing systemic discrimination, particularly affecting women’s participation and advancement in the workforce. The rollback of DEI initiatives, coupled with the rapid integration of emerging technologies like AI, has created an environment where discriminatory structures are not only preserved but also intensified. 

Meanwhile, the rapid adoption of AI in the workplace is reshaping industries and redefining job qualifications. While AI has the potential to amplify existing biases, it also presents an opportunity for economic mobility. AI skills are becoming highly valued, with research showing that professionals with AI expertise can command significantly higher salaries and career growth trajectories.

Here’s your reading list that unpacks this further to help you make sense of it all.

  1. Black Women Entrepreneurs Hit Hard as US Companies Axe Diversity Programs [Reuters]

The rollback of DEI initiatives in the U.S. is disproportionately harming Black women entrepreneurs by reducing funding and support across all sectors.

  1. Game Developers Fear Anti-Trans Measures [Wired]

Specific to the tech sector, anti-trans policies are creating fear and uncertainty in the gaming industry, threatening inclusivity and job security.

  1. Sexual Harassment and Discrimination Forcing Women Lawyers to Quit—Some Say the Profession Needs Its #MeToo Moment [The Toronto Star]

Even outside of the tech sector and the U.S., we see cases where women are leaving the profession due to persistent sexual harassment and systemic discrimination, at a law firm in this case.

  1. Pride Toronto Loses Funding Amid Trump’s DEI Purge [The Guardian]

The U.S. political climate is leading to funding cuts for LGBTQ+ organizations, including Pride Toronto, an early direct impact on DEI in Canada.

  1. Backlash Against DEI and ESG Initiatives in Canadian Companies [The Globe and Mail]

Canadian businesses are scaling back DEI and ESG efforts in response to political and financial pressures.

  1. How Big Tech Failed DEI [Forbes]

Major tech companies have fallen short on their DEI commitments, reversing progress, committing to one-off initiatives that are set up to fail rather than addressing the root of the problem. 

  1. Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence [UNFPA]

Digital tools are increasingly being used to target and harm women, amplifying gender-based violence.

  1. 10 AI Skills to Boost Your Salary Up to 47% in 2025 [Forbes]

Meanwhile, these digital tools, with a specific focus on AI are in high demand, with workers who master them seeing significant salary increases.

  1. AI Skills Rival Job Experience in Recruitment [World Economic Forum]

Employers are also prioritizing AI skills over traditional work experience in hiring decisions.

  1. When AI Plays Favorites: How Algorithmic Bias Shapes the Hiring Process [The Conversation]

But as AI skills come with promise for professional growth, these same tools reinforce the biases that exist in our society and disadvantage marginalized groups.

  1. This Gender Lags Behind in AI Adoption [Revelio Labs]

Unsurprisingly, women are adopting AI skills at lower rates than men, widening the gender gap in tech.

  1. The Tyranny of Tech Bros and the Future of Silicon Valley Activism [Wired]

A culture dominated by male tech elites fails to recruit, retain, and respect women and nonbinary workers, prompting feminist movements, minorities and labour activists to take a stand.

  1. Women in the AI Revolution [Time]

It’s clear that if AI truly is the future of work, we need women at the forefront of AI leadership and decision-making roles.

  1. Women Make Up 29% of the AI Workforce—Here’s How to Fix It [Forbes]

Increasing women’s representation in AI requires targeted efforts, including inclusive hiring practices, mentorship programs, equitable access to AI education, and policies that address workplace biases.

You need to be equipped to navigate it all so you can succeed.

Our programs are open to all with a focus on supporting those from equity-deserving communities who continue to be underrepresented in the tech sector and in tech-enabled roles. These communities include those who identify as cis women, trans women, trans men, non-binary people, as well as Black, Indigenous and Racialized people, newcomers and people from low-income communities.

Explore our workshops & events for low-to-no-cost technical training or long-term career development support through the Career Collective.

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