[Spiwux]

That makes no sense. You don't just hire people out of the whole general population, you hire people with skills you need. If a tech startup hires engineers those will be mostly male. Not because the startup is sexist, but because there are more male engineers around.

[kevingadd]

The united states has a population of ~332 million as of 2021 numbers. You're saying that a software startup's selection of available engineers is so limited that it's not possible to approach general population demographics?

In 2021 alone, over 100k people graduated with bachelor's degrees in computer science. That sample size is too small to approach general population demographics?

Okay, let's lower the bar. Why doesn't your staffing at least approximate the demographics of computer science graduates? Or even narrowing it further - let's say your startup needs the absolute best - people with PhDs in computer science? (According to the 2021 numbers, ~2500 people and 25% female)

You can argue over what the numbers should look like and how we should achieve those numbers but it's a cop-out to claim it's impossible or "too hard" due to a limited supply of hires.

[Spiwux]

> You're saying that a software startup's selection of available engineers is so limited that it's not possible to approach general population demographics?

Yes, because engineers don't follow general population demographics.

> In 2021 alone, over 100k people graduated with bachelor's degrees in computer science. That sample size is too small to approach general population demographics?

Yes. Again, that sample too does not follow population demographics.

> Okay, let's lower the bar. Why doesn't your staffing at least approximate the demographics of computer science graduates?

It does. Which is why I said "mostly" (but not exclusively) male. However that is not a "lowered bar", that is the only possible way things can work out. Unless you argue that a number of male engineers should be systematically doomed to never be hired in the name of equality, because otherwise we cannot reach your perfect demographic distribution.