SAN FRANCISCO — The RSA Conference, one of the world's largest cybersecurity gatherings, is taking heat for having just one female keynote speaker out of 22 this year: anti-bullying activist Monica Lewinsky.
Conference organizers say the keynote line-up isn't final — RSA has invited Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen to speak, but she hasn't confirmed. And, they say, 20% of total speakers slated for this year's conference will be women, reflecting average attendance at RSA, which drew 43,000 attendees last year.
They pin the blame on the technology industry, which skews heavily male, and to the niche field of security, where 11% of positions worldwide are held by women, according to a recent estimate from research firm Forrester.
"A diverse speaking program starts with increasing diversity within the technology sector, which needs to be addressed by the industry as a whole," spokesman Ben Waring said in an emailed statement to USA TODAY.
For critics, this is yet another in a long line of excuses for excluding women from the main attraction at technology conferences and perpetuating the stereotype that women are not leaders in their fields. And some security professionals are speaking out.
Source:
usatoday
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