This 'Edie Windsor' Scholarship Will Help Queer Women Learn To Code

An organization dedicated to challenging and changing the straight male-dominated landscape of technology launched a Kickstarter campaign today that will allow 12 or more lesbian and queer-identified women to go to the coding school of their choice.

Lesbians Who Tech's Edie Windsor Coding Scholarship Fund is part of a larger push to have more women -- especially queer-identified women -- shaping the future of code. According to a study, in 2013 only 26 percent of computing jobs in the United Stated were held by women -- down dramatically from 36 percent in 1990.

What would the future look like if those most marginalized by systems of power and privilege were the ones shaping the development of our technological tools?

"Imagine what apps and software would look like if they were made by women, queer women, women of color," Vanessa Newman of Lesbians Who Tech told The Huffington Post. "Imagine how integrating that kind of inclusivity into [tech] would create a more inclusive, accessible society and tech industry for all of us. That's why being able to fund and provide this type of opportunity for queer women to attend coding school is so important, if not vital. We literally have the power to change the face of tech, if we can lift each other up, over the privileges and barriers to entry that come with learning the essential skills."

Following the completion of the Kickstarter, the twelve or more lesbian and queer-identified women to receive the funding will be chosen by a committee of advisors after an application process. Interested parties can apply after the Kickstarter campaign has been completed by checking out the Lesbians Who Tech website.

Head here for more information on the Lesbians Who Tech organization or here for the Kickstarter campaign.