By the way, I am a bit dubious about the "personal experience" involved here, because - the way I understand it - it's about a dearth of societal role models.

By the way, I am a bit dubious about the "personal experience" involved here, because - the way I understand it - it's about a dearth of societal role models. I was never even aware of that as a factor. If I had been, I should have thought "Of course I can't engineer software because according to our society's stereotypes of middle eastern people, I should become a terrorist instead". I don't get why anyone should even care about stereotypes in the first place (let alone have to de-program themselves) because they should decide for themselves as individuals. Grumble grumble, Identity Politics, grumble grumble.