But why is a man nominated as a finalist for an award meant for ‘Women in Technology’? This news has created a lot of confusion and anger on social media. “This is the first time WiT has offered an award that is open to all genders and it reflects how our community attitudes are changing,” stated ‘Women in Technology,’ an Australia-based association, in a Facebook column. The organization remarked it as “the inclusion of our first male finalist” and they added, looking forward to seeing “more male leaders who support women being nominated in the future”. This decision of including a male leader has resulted in mixed responses on social media. “So you wanna give the award to a man, in the category of WOMEN IN TECHNOLOGY, because he supports women… in technology?” asked one user. “Lol is this a joke,” asked another user. Association’s website describes Simon Button as a “digital leader who values all voices and champions diversity and equity in the organizations he leads”. The other finalists on the list are a research fellow in indigenous health, Professor Kym Rae, a psychologist interested in marginalized communities, Professor Amy Mullens, and Dr. Jyoti Sharma, a pharmaceutical researcher. The annual awards by the organization ‘Women in Technology’ are to ‘recognize outstanding talent and achievement and give women the recognition they deserve’. This year’s award theme was ‘Writing the future’. This award is a tribute to the exceptional contribution of women who are defining, shaping, and growing Australia’s digital economy, as stated by the association’s chair, Iyari Cevallos.
