Myth Debunked: Women are naturally less interested in computer science

Until the mid-1980s, female enrolment in computer science programs was steadily rising, with women making up over 35% of computer science majors in some countries. In a few cases, their numbers even rivalled or surpassed those of men. This upward trend reflected growing opportunities and interest among women in computing.

However, the late 1980s saw a sharp and sustained decline in female participation. This was not because of a lack of ability or interest, but due to a number of cultural and societal shifts.

The rise of personal computers played a key role: marketed almost exclusively to boys, early home computers were positioned as gaming and tinkering devices, not educational tools. Boys gained early exposure and confidence, while girls were often left out.

At the same time, pop culture and media increasingly framed computing as a male-dominated field, reinforcing the stereotype of the male “tech genius”. These narratives reshaped public perception, making young women feel like outsiders in a field they had helped pioneer. The result was a narrowing, self-reinforcing pipeline: fewer girls chose computer science in school, leading to fewer women entering and remaining in the field.

All this shows that females are not innately disinterested in computer science, but rather, the low number of females pursuing computer science stems from cultural stereotypes.