Amy Henderson is a woman working to change the “bro culture” that is so prevalent in Silicon Valley’s Tech Companies. Henderson started hosting meetings with other women in the tech industry in order to address one huge issue–getting their male partners to take paternity leave and embrace a better work/life balance.
Exposing Silicon Valley’s Secret
Through a series of her workshops and lectures, Amy Henderson works with both men and women to expose the disparity between them on the subject of families and raising children. Henderson shares that while motherhood is a limiting factor in women’s careers, when men embrace fatherhood by choosing to take their paternity leave, this begins to dismantle old “bro culture” beliefs that single men and single women are more successful.
Just a year ago, the #MeToo movement arrived in a big way in workplaces around the world. In Silicon Valley, this movement encouraged women to speak up about various toxic behaviors in their workplace. Moreover, this movement kick-started a slightly subtler disruption of the “bro culture” that had become the status quo.
Working Through Micro Moments
In order to enact this type of change throughout Silicon Valley, sociologist Marianne Cooper shares that it’s necessary to work through “micro moments”. Instead of trying to shift the entire culture in one fell swoop, Cooper notes that through little changes, women and men can transform the industry and challenge the norms for professionalism.
In Silicon Valley and the tech industry as a whole, this “bro culture” has promoted men-only company cultures. These environments encourage bad behavior through pervasive sexual discourse in the workplace and excessive drinking off or on the job. Cooper points out that it’s time to redefine the lines between professional and personal behavior.
While Silicon Valley is famous for its innovation, the vehicle for these new ideas often comes by way of toxic traditions like drug-fueled networking events. While many women and men may not enjoy these kinds of work environments, few people feel comfortable enough speaking out against them.