Outrage after man announced as finalist for ‘Women in Technology’ award

Simon Button was announced as a finalist for a Women in Technology award (Image credit: WiTqld/Facebook)

Shock and outrage followed the announcement of Simon Button as a finalist for the 2022 'Inspiring Diversity in STEM' award by Women in Technology.

In a move that inspired comparisons with satirical sitcoms and led many to wonder if the announcement was a joke, Women in Technology, an Australia-based association, said Button was one of the four finalists in the running to win the 'Inspiring Diversity in STEM' award for 2022.

The Women in Technology awards are held to recognise “outstanding talent and achievement and give women the recognition they deserve.”

This year, however, the association introduced a new award to recognise “ongoing commitment and tireless efforts of all leaders regardless of gender, age or background,” according to the Daily Mail.

The move, and Button’s subsequent nomination, invited backlash from a section of the internet.

“Seriously? Parks and Rec already did this, did we not learn from that?” asked one person.

Another pointed out that a woman of colour could have been nominated in place of Button, who is currently Chief Technology Officer at the Qscan Group.

“So, you have a white man, instead of choosing, say, a black woman, native woman, or other woman of color?” a commenter asked. “Is this a joke?” a third simply said.

WiT has said that the 'Inspiring Diversity in STEM' award is meant to reward industry leaders who champion equality and gender diversity in the workplace. “We welcome the inclusion of our first male finalist and look forward to seeing more male leaders who support women being nominated in the future,” the association said.