• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

MacKenzie Scott, Melinda French Gates, and Lauren Sánchez Bezos are rewriting the rules of billionaire giving—one quietly, one strategically, one very publicly

2

Current price of silver as of Tuesday, July 14, 2026

3

Summer camps remain a battleground over what it means to be American

1

MacKenzie Scott, Melinda French Gates, and Lauren Sánchez Bezos are rewriting the rules of billionaire giving—one quietly, one strategically, one very publicly

2

Current price of silver as of Tuesday, July 14, 2026

3

Summer camps remain a battleground over what it means to be American
Tech

Men Think Obstacles to Gender Equality at Work Are Gone. Women See It Differently.

By
Laura Entis
Laura Entis
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Laura Entis
Laura Entis
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 18, 2017, 6:45 PM ET
Salon Viva Technology At Parc des Expositions In Paris
Christophe Morin/IP3 Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

It’s hard to find solutions to a problem many people don’t believe exists in the first place.

For those working to close the gender gap in the tech industry, a new poll by SurveyMonkey should be a cause for concern.

The survey, which included a national sample of 13,331 adults ages 18 and up, found that, in general, men believe we’ve solved the professional gender divide. When asked “would you say that obstacles to gender equality are gone or that significant obstacles still exist?” 58% of U.S. male workers said all obstacles had been eliminated, while only 38% believed some barriers remained in place.

Women saw it differently—essentially, their responses were reversed (36% and 60%, respectively).

This disconnect was even starker among tech workers, with 61% of male respondents saying they think obstacles to gender equality are gone. Only 30% of their female colleagues agreed.

Against this backdrop, the industry’s persistent diversity troubles—from the snail’s pace at which big players like Google, Facebook, and Uber are increasing the number of minority and female employees, particularly in leadership roles, to the disturbing allegations of sexual harassment roiling through the Valley—make a disheartening kind of sense.

Progress is difficult “if people don’t believe there’s a problem,” Linda Kozlowski, Etsy’s chief operating officer, said Tuesday at Fortune’s Brainstorm Tech conference in Aspen, Colo.

At Etsy, 58% of employees are women, including more than half of those in management positions. “As far as I am aware, we are the only gender-split board of a public tech company,” she said. “That didn’t come easily. It required a lot of time and effort.”

Her point? Closing the gender gap in tech, whose roots run both wide and deep, requires not just an acknowledgment, but sustained, focused effort. It’s not going to happen by “burying your head in the sand,” said Kozlowski.

Click below for more information (courtesy of SurveyMonkey) on how U.S. workers, along with Fortune Brainstorm Tech attendees, feel about gender equality in the workplace.

About the Author
By Laura Entis
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

New experimental Alzheimer’s drug shows potential after study shows slower cognitive decline
HealthAlzheimer's
New experimental Alzheimer’s drug shows potential after study shows slower cognitive decline
By Lauran NeergaardJuly 14, 2026
3 hours ago
U.S.-Russia space crew arrives at the ISS despite bitter space race past
North AmericaNASA
U.S.-Russia space crew arrives at the ISS despite bitter space race past
By Vladimir Isachenkov and The Associated PressJuly 14, 2026
4 hours ago
NYS Gov. Kathy Hochul standing at a podium
North AmericaData centers
‘New York will lead the way’: NYS Gov. Hochul’s data center moratorium includes a new model for funding AI infrastructure 
By Tatiana SatauaJuly 14, 2026
5 hours ago
A headshot of Dave Bozeman, CEO of C.H. Robinson.
NewslettersEye on AI
The secrets of an unheralded AI success story
By Jeremy KahnJuly 14, 2026
6 hours ago
Phones in hand
CybersecurityPrivacy
A new FCC proposal could spell the end of the burner phone
By Catherina GioinoJuly 14, 2026
6 hours ago
The AI boom drove China’s 27% export jump in June as AI and the Iran war reshape global trade
AsiaChina
The AI boom drove China’s 27% export jump in June as AI and the Iran war reshape global trade
By The Associated Press and Chan Ho-HimJuly 14, 2026
7 hours ago

Most Popular

MacKenzie Scott, Melinda French Gates, and Lauren Sánchez Bezos are rewriting the rules of billionaire giving—one quietly, one strategically, one very publicly
Newsletters
MacKenzie Scott, Melinda French Gates, and Lauren Sánchez Bezos are rewriting the rules of billionaire giving—one quietly, one strategically, one very publicly
By Sydney LakeJuly 14, 2026
8 hours ago
Current price of silver as of Tuesday, July 14, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Tuesday, July 14, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 14, 2026
15 hours ago
Summer camps remain a battleground over what it means to be American
North America
Summer camps remain a battleground over what it means to be American
By Seth T. Kannarr, Derek H. Alderman and The ConversationJuly 13, 2026
1 day ago
The U.S. spent $30 billion to ditch textbooks for laptops and tablets: The result is the first generation less cognitively capable than their parents
Innovation
The U.S. spent $30 billion to ditch textbooks for laptops and tablets: The result is the first generation less cognitively capable than their parents
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 12, 2026
3 days ago
Current price of oil as of July 13, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 13, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 13, 2026
2 days ago
United States' $39 trillion national debt will mean fewer jobs at lower wages for Gen Z, according to think tank
Economy
United States' $39 trillion national debt will mean fewer jobs at lower wages for Gen Z, according to think tank
By Eleanor PringleJuly 14, 2026
14 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.