Outreachy internship and diversity in Indian Software Communities

I am Niya, a trans woman from Uttar Pradesh, India. I was recently selected as an Outreachy intern for Servo.

The blog is not part of the official “prompts” from Outreachy.

Outreachy is an internship program for people who face underrepresentation, systemic bias, or discrimination in the technical industry where they are living. I face all of them, rather painfully.

Content Warning: Transphobia

I attended my first tech conference when I was 16. I have been in rooms full of men, I have been to conferences that made an active effort to include underrepresented folks.

I have felt left out in every diversity conversation at all the Indian tech conferences I have been to. I have been to more than 10.

Growing up in Uttar Pradesh, I was in an all-boys classroom. I faced nagging about being too feminine, it had left a deep impression on me.

All my life, I only knew hate for being a queer person. I remember wanting to advocate for a more inclusive women's panel at tech conferences, but I was never able to. I was afraid of being judged or harassed like I always had been.

I never met another openly queer person until I turned 19. And I only met them while seeking care from a gender affirming therapist at a local queer clinic in Lucknow.

I think it's really important for me as an Outreachy intern to share my story and advocate for diversity.

We need to do better

For the last year, I have been participating more actively in FOSS communities. I am a core team member of FOSS United Lucknow. I have emceed the Lucknow FOSS conference twice and volunteered at other tech events as well.

All tech events suffer from a diversity problem, most of the participants are cis-men. Almost every time, we need to consciously think about reaching out to women or including women speakers.

The major issue with making tech conferences a boys' club is that minorities don't feel belonged, or even unsafe. The phenomenon reinforces itself, and fewer minorities find spaces in tech communities.

I believe the diversity problem isn't solved by putting an all-women panel to talk about diversity issues. For one, only thinking of diversity in terms of “women” excludes other underrepresented minorities like Dalit and queer folks. Different minorities have different social and political circumstances that affect them differently.

While it might sound like an impossible task to include every circumstance, Indian software communities can definitely do a better job.

People organising tech events need to involve more minorities to address diversity issues. Minorities need to talk more about inclusion and diversity and blog about their experiences and issues.

If you're a minority or an organiser, feel free to reach out to me.

I hope we all can help make tech more inclusive!