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Apple’s Celebrating International Women’s Day With Events, Classes, and App Promotions

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Apple store on Michigan Avenue. The structure is a tall building seemily supported by nearly all glass and four pillars. Apple is promoting female creators, hosting women-lead sessions at Apple Stores, and has partnered with Girls Who Code to teach over 90,000 girls Swift.

Growing up, girls see the world around them and learn from it. They see what they can do, what they can become. If they only see men in tech, they’re going to assume men are the only people allowed in tech. But, with just a few positive role models and classes, we level the playing field.

I still remember as a kid seeing the girl in Jurassic Park save the day with her computer skills. That was a formative moment for me. The girl was the techie. It helped push me into tech many years later. I knew from a young age that girls could be techie geeks too, and that enabled me to be whoever I wanted to be. As it turns out, a techie geek.

Apple’s programs aren’t just targeting young girls though. Not only is it never to late to learn to code, and anyone can benefit from learning some code, but it also helps celebrate the achievements of women. Women have been left out of history books, with authors crediting their male peers or husbands for their discoveries for centuries. Sessions that show the creativity and innovations of women help correct the misconception that women don’t create great things.

Here’s everything Apple’s doing for International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month.

Girls Who Code Partnership

Girl works on an iPad, possibly to control the toy robot in the frameIn tech, we sometimes talk about the “pipeline problem.” It’s one of the many reasons we don’t see as many women in tech as we do men. Of course, the primary reason is the terrible ways we treat women in tech, which causes women to leave tech before they reach the workplace or a few years into their career. However, getting women into tech is still a challenge. You’re fighting against decades of bias that say women can’t have technical jobs, physical jobs, or intellectual jobs. You’re fighting against the stigma of “tech is nerdy and for boys.”

One of they ways to do that is just to teach girls about tech. Make it less esoteric. It’s far more difficult to perpetuate stereotypes when the girls on the receiving end of them know you’re full of it.

That’s why Apple’s partnering with a popular nonprofit trying to help girls learn about tech, despite societal expectations holding them back. Girls Who Code regularly helps pair girls with experienced instructors to learn about software development. With learning and reinforcement that we can challenge gender stereotypes, more girls are sticking with tech and entering the workforce. There, they face the many challenges of being a woman in tech, but it’s a good first step. Tackling the “pipeline problem” is only one part of the solution, but it’s a significant one.

International Women’s Day Sessions

Today at Apple header featuring a drawing of a womanApple does regular “Today at Apple” sessions at a number of their Apple Stores. I once caught a tutorial for seniors on how to use their iPads while I was waiting for my battery replacement. Other sessions include how to make music with GarageBand, or beginner iOS development. However, during March, in celebration of International Women’s Day, Apple will host a series called “Made by Women.”

Made by Women will highlight the creations of women. From art to apps, women will speak about their work, offer performances, and share what they do and how they got to where they are. The sessions will be in select stores in cities all over the world, including New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Santa Monica, London, Paris, Singapore, Hong Kong, Milan, and even Dubai. Check Apple’s site to find a women’s day session by you, or, check out this convenient list compiled by 9to5Mac. I’ve included their list below.

Apple Union Square, San Francisco

Apple Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica

Apple Michigan Avenue, Chicago

Apple Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Apple Regent Street, London

Apple Covent Garden, London

Apple Champs-Élysées, Paris

Apple Piazza Liberty, Milan

Apple Orchard Road, Singapore

Apple Dubai Mall, Dubai

Apple Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

App Store Promotions

App Store promotion for the education app Women Who Changed the WorldEvery day in March, the App Store will feature apps created by or managed by women. Apple will also highlight TV shows and movies featuring dynamic female characters, and feature female musicians on Apple Music and Beats 1. They’ll even promote female lead podcasts. You won’t just be able to learn about how women create, but find the works of women and enjoy them. Look for Apple’s promotions in the App Store, iTunes, and Apple Music.

What Apple’s Not Doing

A man on the left shows something on an iPad to Apple CEO Tim Cook, center with arms crossed, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, right.

Tim Cook, center, with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, Right. Photo: Saudi Embassy USA/Twitter

I figured this would be a great place to remind you that, despite sitting on the decision for weeks, and despite the fact that it breaks the App Store’s rules against inciting violence, Apple still allows the Absher app on the App Store. This is the app that allows men in Saudi Arabia to control every aspect of women’s lives, including their ability to travel. They can get alerts when women try to travel, and block their passport from their home in a tap. Just as easy it is for you to retweet something, they can oppress women, thanks to Apple’s help.

Just a good reminder that, when it comes to actually standing up for women, Apple takes a seat in the back.

There’s Good

The fact that Apple’s still doing wrong by women does not diminish from the good these programs do. Girls can still learn to write Swift, the primary coding language for macOS, iOS, watchOS, and tvOS. People can still learn about the contributions women have made in art, science, and technology. They can still find excellent apps made by women. Apple doesn’t have to be perfect to do good. That’s certainly a lesson for all of us.

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