- Bubble Bath
- Paint Drip
- Soo Much Clothing
- Thinking about Machine Thinking
- Rachel in STEM
- Tampon Bra
- Met Chat
- Next in Line
- Columbus Circle Collage
This project explores how femininity is perceived within tech; an industry that, despite its origins involving many women, is now culturally coded as masculine. Only 22% of computer science degrees go to women today, even though women played vital roles in early computing. As the field gained prestige, its visual and social culture shifted, projecting tropes of the “tech bro,” the “alpha CEO,” and the “incel coder” as commonly occurring identities.
In my own experience—growing up in Silicon Valley, studying computer science, and working in tech—I often felt out of place, both internally and externally. It became clear that appearance, personality, and gender expression shaped how intelligence and credibility were perceived. In such a powerful and financially lucrative field, this dynamic has real consequences: not only for who is included, but for how comfortable they feel once inside.
Inspired by the photography of Nadia Lee Cohen and Cindy Sherman, I constructed five characters using staged portraits: four male tech archetypes and one feminine figure. Using the visual language of “starter pack” memes by collaging objects, styles, and references, I captured how cultural stereotypes materialize through aesthetics. These characters aren’t caricatures of individuals, but reflections of broader patterns as they relate to gendered behaviors.
This project asks: what does it mean to look like you don’t belong in tech, and how does visual or cultural difference become a barrier to participation in shaping such a powerful domain?