Faith Quarles, Women and Science

For decades, the stories of pioneering women in the field of computer science and technology have been lost to time or even disregarded throughout history. Particular trends of males gaining the spotlight for many of the accomplishments that women have made are beginning to surface. It can be seen primarily through certain notable females in the field, but in this case, specifically Elizebeth S. Friedman. It’s important to unearth the injustices that these particular women, as well as all women around the world have faced. Giving credit where credit is due is one of the major foundations of all knowledge and writing, so it seems hypocritical that the same people who are married to that rule also hide away the stories of these intelligent, revolutionary women. Presently, the numbers of female computer scientists are increasing, yet gender stereotypes are causing younger women to consider a less masculine profession in life (Istrate and Savu, 2020). The purpose of this paper is to research the hidden history of some of the most remarkable women in US history and how they forever changed the world of technology and computer sci-

ence. Women have a significant role in the field of technology, but have always had a disadvantage. It will take innovation and courage to change these bygone traditions and create a more equal space for the future for all women aspiring to make a difference in the growing technological realm.

In order to truly understand the realms at which these women were working, certain terms and fields must be defined and explored. Computer science is the study of theory, design implementation and performance of computer software and systems. It was introduced and expanded in the 1950’s, right before the women’s rights movement going into the 60’s and 70’s. Between World War I and World War II, the field of cryptology exploded. It was and still is a male dominated field, with incredible women working in the background without proper recognition. This became a trend in the workplace. Stereotypes that women lack leadership and tenacity have been set in place, and act as a barrier for women in the workplace. These barriers are specifically set in STEM occupations, meaning science, technology, engineering and mathematics. A recent study has shown that in the United States, interest in STEM related subjects among males and females are about equal in the middle school ages, but diminish 15% by high school (Istrate and Savu, 2020). Furthermore, only 20% of all bachelor degrees in computer science are earned by women (Istrate and Savu, 2020). These statistics are a result of stereotypes that women are “modest, tender and concerned with the quality of life” rather than assertive and dominant like most males are perceived to be (Istrate and Savu, 2020).

The remarkable woman that inspired this paper is none other than Elizebeth S. Friedman. While there are a plethora of other brilliant women out there who have greatly contributed to this body of knowledge, Friedman is the sole focus of this research and discussion. A direct analysis of her life, career and accomplishments will aim to show the critical differences Friedman made in the field of computer science and how she is still affecting it today.

Elizabeth S. Friedman is widely known as “America’s first female cryptanalyst”. She was born in Indiana during the year 1892, where as a child, she had already developed unique linguistic skills and a clever mind. She graduated from Hillsdale college in 1915, being one of the two only people in her family to attend college (NSA). She was later recruited by an eccentric billionaire, George Fayban, to decode Shakespeare’s works. There she met William Friedman whom she would later marry. Elizabeth had a keen skill for recognizing patterns, which came to be very useful when she and William were recruited by the U.S. Army during World War I to decode secret messages from the enemy. With the combined forces of Elizebeth and her husband, they were able to create the first code-breaking unit in America. Her time with the U.S. government outside of WWI resulted in

650 criminal prosecutions, in addition to her being an expert witness in 33 cases against narcotic smugglers (Time). However, World War II and the government’s ignorance brought challenges to the female phenomenon. She was assigned to monitor communications between Germany and South America, but as a civilian she couldn’t be in charge of the unit. She was put under the power of a male officer who she believed wanted to make a career story out of the situation in South America. The FBI interfered with her work and she felt “had always looked at her with a disdain and in a sexist light, yet still demanded her help because of her indispensable talents” (Time). She was forced to fix the messes men made and solve the problems they couldn’t solve. Her greatest accomplishment was breaking up the axis powers and spy ring in South America. This ultimately caused the Allied Powers victory in the war. This monumental feat should’ve been recognized by all Americans, but instead one of the darkest lies in history was told. Though the FBI insisted on her help in the decoding of the Spy Ring, they gave all of the credit to the head of the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover. Jason Fagone, the author of The Woman Who Smashed Codes, commented on the event, “It was a lie, but it was a lie that worked, and it was the lie that ended up getting written into the history books” (Fagone). Friedman was forced to sign a Navy oath of silence until her death, and stayed true to it all of these decades.

This event can be related to current events regarding women in the workplace. While Friedman did all this work, she received little to no credit in her accomplishments. Her husband received the credit and Elizebeth was referred to as an assistant cipher clerk. It wasn’t until decades after her death that the truth was finally unveiled and her story told. It makes you wonder if her story was kept away for so long, what other women are out there who aren’t receiving the well-deserved credit for their accomplishments. This is an era where we are learning more and more about the past and how that affects our future. Elizebeth S. Friedman was an innovative, exceptional woman who broke barriers in the computer science field and is inspiring others to do the same even today. Without her contributions, the FBI could not have grown to the extent that it has today, nor the Department of Security. It’s so important to tell the stories of these remarkable women, not only for them, but for the young girls of our future.

Looking into the past, it’s clear that women were not provided the recognition they deserved for their monumental work. Due to traditional gender roles and the social expectation in the past, there were significantly less women than men in careers in the STEM field. However, as technology continues to rapidly advance, so does the perceptions of gender roles in the workforce. However, it must be noted that both sides of the spectrum are equally important and recognized. While men

are bashed for not providing women equal opportunity, it must be understood that times are changing constantly. The actions of those who implemented such discrimination in the workplace and society were considered reasonable during those times. What was seen as ordinary then, is seen as unacceptable in today’s standards. There is no excuse, but there is reasoning, and it must be applied to every situation possible in order to move forward in a world where both men and women are equal.

The unknown contributions made by these incredible women are steadily growing as the truth is revealed. It’s important to break the gender stereotypes made in the workforce, so that everyone can have a chance at success and earn their rightful recognition. Elizebeth Friedman had to endure so much discrimination and her legacy was close to being forgotten. If not for Jason Fagone and his book, many people wouldn’t know of her great feats and how she changed the field of computer science forever. With more women joining the workforce in STEM related careers, stereotypes are decreasing. But the battle is not yet won, in order to continue on this path, young women must stand up for their rights and speak their voice. Computer science is an extremely important field of knowledge and the powerhouses who started it all were women. It’s time to make a change and make the future our own.

Works Cited

Elizebeth S. Friedman. NSA, www.nsa.gov/About-Us/Current-Leadership/Article-View/Arti cle/1623028/elizebeth-s-friedman/. Accessed 22 Mar. 2021.

Fagone, Jason. The Woman Who Smashed Codes. Dey Street Books, Harper, 2018.

Istrate, Ana Mihaela, and Daria Savu. “GENDER STEREOTYPES--A

FRONTIER FOR WOMEN IN COMPUTER SCIENCE.” Journal of Information Systems & Operations Management, vol. 14, no. 2, 2020, p. 80+.

Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A649682882/

AONE?u=lap09capt&sid=AONE&xid=5392ccb2. Accessed 8 Feb. 2021.

“The Story of America’s Underappreciated ‘First Female Cryptanalyst.’” Time, time.com/5928583/elizebeth-friedman-codebreaker/. Accessed 22 Mar. 2021.