--- title: "The Cybersecurity Gender Gap - Christian Espinosa" description: "Despite a significant gender gap and discrimination, women can find stable, lucrative, and satisfying careers in cybersecurity, contributing valuable…" lang: en json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://christianespinosa.com/#person", "name": "Christian Espinosa", "url": "https://christianespinosa.com/", "image": "https://christianespinosa.com/__l5e/assets-v1/de07e44b-a8e0-4bcc-bcb0-13aec15421f1/headshot-front.jpg", "sameAs": [ "https://www.facebook.com/christian.espinosa.official", "https://x.com/Ironracer", "https://www.instagram.com/christian.espinosa.official/", "https://www.youtube.com/@ChristianEspinosaOfficial", "https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianespinosa/" ], "jobTitle": "Bestselling Author, Keynote Speaker, Entrepreneur", "worksFor": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Blue Goat Cyber", "url": "https://bluegoatcyber.com/" } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://christianespinosa.com/#website", "name": "Christian Espinosa", "url": "https://christianespinosa.com/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://christianespinosa.com/#organization" }, "inLanguage": "en-US" }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://christianespinosa.com/#organization", "name": "Christian Espinosa", "url": "https://christianespinosa.com/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://christianespinosa.com/logo.svg" }, "founder": { "@id": "https://christianespinosa.com/#person" }, "sameAs": [ "https://www.facebook.com/christian.espinosa.official", "https://x.com/Ironracer", "https://www.instagram.com/christian.espinosa.official/", "https://www.youtube.com/@ChristianEspinosaOfficial", "https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianespinosa/" ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "headline": "The Cybersecurity Gender Gap - Christian Espinosa", "description": "Despite a significant gender gap and discrimination, women can find stable, lucrative, and satisfying careers in cybersecurity, contributing valuable…", "image": "https://christianespinosa.com/__l5e/assets-v1/8047515f-6fd0-4e05-89b0-69d5af0ca0f0/the-cybersecurity-gender-gap-card.png", "datePublished": "2021-09-04T06:22:41+00:00", "dateModified": "2026-06-26T05:37:30.827Z", "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://christianespinosa.com/blog/the-cybersecurity-gender-gap" }, "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Christian Espinosa", "url": "https://christianespinosa.com/about" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Christian Espinosa", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://christianespinosa.com/logo.svg" } } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "What is the core idea behind \"The Cybersecurity Gender Gap - Christian Espinosa\"?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "When it comes to the numbers of women in cybersecurity, we’ve got good news and bad news. The bottom line is we need more women in cybersecurity." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Who is this post for?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Honestly, leaders, founders, and anyone running a team who is tired of the sanitized version of leadership advice. If you want a listicle, this is not that. If you want the honest version of what I have actually lived and worked through, keep reading." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How do I actually apply this, not just nod along?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Pick the single line in the post that made you flinch or look away, and change one thing in your week because of it. One choice this week beats a whole framework you never touch." } } ] } ] --- [Skip to content](#main) [](/) [About](/about)[Speaking](/speaking)[Cybersecurity](/cybersecurity)[Programs](/programs)[Books](/books)[Media](/media) Writing Search Ctrl K[Connect](/connect) [Leadership](/blog/category/leadership) # The Cybersecurity Gender Gap September 4, 2021 5 min read 1,044 words The good news is that women are well represented in on-screen hacker dramas. Nomi in Sense8, Chen Lien in Blackhat, and Lisbeth Salandar in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo all portray tech-savvy female hackers to their legions of fans around the world. ![](/__l5e/assets-v1/103e1af2-4007-406f-b219-e20fd6fcbb4a/the-cybersecurity-gender-gap-hero.webp) The takeaways 1. 01 The good news is that women are well represented in on-screen hacker dramas. What to do next Pick one meeting on this week's calendar where good is actually the underlying issue, and put that on the agenda by name. 2. 02 In real life, women hold only 11% of cybersecurity jobs. What to do next Pause for five minutes today, then name the one place in your week where real is playing out and you have been avoiding naming it. 3. 03 It reduces the number of candidates to fill the estimated 3.5 million cybersecurity jobs estimated to be unfilled in 2021. What to do next Block 30 minutes this week to audit how reduces is showing up on your team, then decide one thing to change. 4. 04 Plus, it means that half of computer users are not represented in the cybersecurity space; this causes a potential problem in both corporate and national security. What to do next Write down the last three decisions you made about users and mark which ones you would repeat. I have good news and bad news about women in cybersecurity. The good news is that women are well represented in on-screen hacker dramas. Nomi in Sense8, Chen Lien in Blackhat, and Lisbeth Salandar in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo all portray tech-savvy female hackers to their legions of fans around the world. The bad news? In real life, [women hold only 11% of cybersecurity jobs](https://www.veracode.com/blog/new-research-2017-women-still-only-make-11-percent-cybersecurity-workforce). That is more than a social problem of gender imbalance. It reduces the number of candidates to fill the estimated 3.5 million cybersecurity jobs estimated to be unfilled in 2021. Plus, it means that half of computer users are not represented in the cybersecurity space; this causes a potential problem in both corporate and national security. While this might seem like another _women-are-underrepresented-in-technology_ beef, it’s more than that. Women fill 17% of general tech jobs. While that number is low, it still bests cybersecurity by more than 50%. ### **Why is cybersecurity such a male-dominated career?** Many factors contribute to the gender gap in technology-related jobs. One survey shows that [51% of women in cybersecurity roles](https://iamcybersafe.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/WomensReport.pdf) in North America and Latin American claim to have faced discrimination while only 15% of men said the same. Garden-variety cybersecurity may hold women and their wages back in the profession, but women themselves need to step up earlier. Only 18% of computer science, engineering, and physics degrees awarded in the US go to women. Plus, 56% of women in technology drop out of the profession at midpoint. Women with degrees in diverse fields can, however, enter the cybersecurity workforce at nearly age with proper training and certification. But will they be accepted? ### **How do different cultures view women and men in cybersecurity?** When [divided up by continent](https://iamcybersafe.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/WomensReport.pdf), the numbers around women in cybersecurity may surprise you. In North America, women comprise 14% of cybersecurity’s workforce; the largest percentage of any continent. Asia-Pacific is next at 10% followed by Africa at 9%, Latin America at 8%, Europe at 7%, and the Middle East at just 5%. Are these numbers representative of larger cultural assumptions about the role of women in defense technology? More broadly, could the hacker culture simply be more attractive to men than women? After all, the image of a bearded man in a hoodie chugging energy drinks and vodka in a dark basement still dominates cybersecurity. And many firms recruit their cyber crime techs using imagery and language based on a militarized version of hacking and information security investigations. These marketing products typically appeal to men more than women. Do women not envision cybersecurity careers due to larger cultural values, the hacker brand, or because it doesn’t hold their interest? Should most women consider a cybersecurity career if it’s so imbalanced? ### **In fact, what are the pros and cons of a cybersecurity career for women?** Anyone; regardless of gender, race, creed, color, or national origin; who loves and understands technology can benefit from a cybersecurity career. It’s one of the [fastest-growing, most stable, and most lucrative vocational fields](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/information-security-analysts.htm) available. Still, women experience different benefits and drawbacks from cyber defense professions than men do. **Pros:** - Women bring a distinct view to cybersecurity roles that complement men’s views. - Many cybersecurity professionals of all genders find the work deeply satisfying; both intellectually and emotionally. - The gender gap offers women a chance to be role models for girls in a burgeoning industry. **Cons:** - Do you lack interest in cybersecurity? If so, stop now. The only reason not to choose cybersecurity as a profession is a desire to do something else. Cybersecurity is a well-paying, flexible field with zero percent unemployment, but if you don’t love it, find something you do enjoy. ### **Outside of fiction, who are some famous female hackers or cybersecurity leaders?** - [Agnes Meyer Driscoll](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnes_Meyer_Driscoll). Perhaps the most gifted cryptanalyst ever, Agnes served during World War I and World War II. She enlisted in the US Navy in 1918 and continued until 1949 except for a two year break. During much of that time, Agnes was the Navy’s chief cryptanalyst. She went on to serve in the Armed Forces Security Agency and the National Security Agency. After her death in 1971, the US military buried Agnes at Arlington National Cemetery. - [Raven Adler](https://www.computersciencedegreehub.com/10-notorious-female-hackers/). Showing a prodigious skill at academics, Raven graduated from high school at age 14 and college at age 18. She gained notoriety as the first woman to speak at Defcon, the world’s greatest hacker conference. Today, Raven focuses on end-to-end data security, serving as a researcher, writer, and security consultant to top companies and federal agencies. - [Tracy Z. Maleeff](https://www.tripwire.com/state-of-security/off-topic/women-information-security-tracy-maleeff/). After earning her master’s degree in library science, Tracy served as an academic librarian before spending 10 years as a law firm librarian. Technology, however, was her passion. She signed up for a [Girl Develop It](https://www.girldevelopit.com/), class, found she loved cybersecurity and decided to enter the field. Today, she owns a cybersecurity firm. About making the change, Tracy says, “The librarian world is mostly female, so that was a big culture shock for me…. My experience in security has been positive. Plenty of my male colleagues have been very helpful in educating me and encouraging me.” ### **How can women start a career in cybersecurity?** Still in high school or middle school? Consider exploring cybersecurity through a specialized tech camp for girls. If you’re in high school or have recently graduated from college, consider taking a bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree in cybersecurity. What about future white hat hackers and computer forensics technicians who can’t go back to school? Certification is key. In fact, regardless of your academic background, certification may be the most important step you can take to advance your cybersecurity career. For entry-level cybersecurity techs, Security+ is a great start. Since the women-to-men ratio in cybersecurity remains weighted toward men, women have an amazing opportunity to lead the way toward closing the gender gap and wage gap by assuming new cybersecurity roles today. Frequently asked ### What is the core idea behind "The Cybersecurity Gender Gap - Christian Espinosa"? ### Who is this post for? ### How do I actually apply this, not just nod along? ### Work with me I help founders and cybersecurity leaders build teams that ship, not teams that stall. If that's the problem you're trying to solve, let's talk. [Start a conversation](/contact) Share this essay [X ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchristianespinosa.com%2Fblog%2Fthe-cybersecurity-gender-gap&text=The%20Cybersecurity%20Gender%20Gap) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchristianespinosa.com%2Fblog%2Fthe-cybersecurity-gender-gap) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fchristianespinosa.com%2Fblog%2Fthe-cybersecurity-gender-gap) [Email](mailto:?subject=The%20Cybersecurity%20Gender%20Gap&body=https%3A%2F%2Fchristianespinosa.com%2Fblog%2Fthe-cybersecurity-gender-gap)Copy link ![Christian Espinosa, headshot](/__l5e/assets-v1/de07e44b-a8e0-4bcc-bcb0-13aec15421f1/headshot-front.jpg) About the author [Christian Espinosa](/about) · Founder & CEO, Blue Goat Cyber Christian is the founder and CEO of Blue Goat Cyber, a medical device cybersecurity firm. He's an Air Force Academy graduate, 24x Ironman, climber of two of the Seven Summits, and the author of The Smartest Person in the Room and The In-Between: Life in the Micro. Keep reading - [ ### The Urban Legend of the Cybersecurity Skills Gap - Christian Espinosa Same thread: leadership. Read essay → ](/blog/is-the-cybersecurity-skills-gap-fact-or-fiction-it-depends-on-the-skills) - [ ### Eternal Optimism Is A Curse. Informed Optimism Is A Blessing. | Christian Espinosa Same thread: leadership. Read essay → ](/blog/eternal-optimism-is-a-curse-informed-optimism-is-a-blessing) - [ ### No Wasted Years, No Wasted Cycles | Christian Espinosa Same thread: leadership. Read essay → ](/blog/no-wasted-years-no-wasted-cycles) [← Previous essay Cheating Cybersecurity Exams: Paper Tigers - Christian Espinosa ](/blog/cheating-cybersecurity-exams-paper-tigers)[Next essay → Why Geeks Need EQ and Leadership Skills - Christian Espinosa ](/blog/why-geeks-need-eq-and-leadership-skills) Related, Cybersecurity ### Need medical-device or offensive security expertise? Blue Goat Cyber, Christian's firm, runs FDA-aligned premarket submissions, penetration testing, and SBOM/SOUP analysis for medtech and high-stakes industries. [Explore Blue Goat Cyber](/cybersecurity) Christian Espinosa Bestselling author, keynote speaker, and Founding CEO of [Blue Goat Cyber](https://bluegoatcyber.com/). Helping technical leaders develop the soft skills that turn brilliance into impact. [](https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianespinosa/)[](https://x.com/Ironracer)[](https://www.instagram.com/christian.espinosa.official/)[](https://www.youtube.com/@ChristianEspinosaOfficial)[](https://www.facebook.com/christian.espinosa.official) Explore - [About](/about) - [Timeline](/timeline) - [Speaking](/speaking) - [Cybersecurity](/cybersecurity) - [Programs](/programs) Read - [Books](/books) - [Guides](/guides) - [Blog](/blog) - [Media](/media) - [Podcast Interviews](/podcasts) - [Success Stories](/success-stories) Connect - [Contact Christian](/connect) - [LinkedIn ↗](https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianespinosa/) - [Blue Goat Cyber ↗](https://bluegoatcyber.com/) - [Resources](/resources) © 2026 Christian Espinosa. All rights reserved. [Privacy](/privacy-policy)[Terms](/terms-of-use)