Harsh backlash has ensued after First Daughter and White House adviser Ivanka was selected as a keynote speaker at the CES electronic trade show in Las Vegas, dedicated to the role of women in technology.
Despite Ivanka famously dealing with women’s empowerment issues at large, many instantly took aim at her apparent lack of experience in the technology industry.
For instance, per technology commentator Rachel Solar, there are much better candidates available to fill the speaker's role.
“This is a terrible choice on so many levels but also – what an insult to the years and years of protesting how few women were invited to keynote & being told it was a pipeline problem while similarly-situated men were elevated", Solar complained.
“There are so many great, qualified women. Shame", she went on to lament.
Cindy Chin, chief executive of the consultancy CLC Advisors likewise drew attention to Ivanka’s lack of experience in the sphere.
“It would be better if the background of the keynote speaker actually fit the industry it is serving and inspirational rather than talking heads and political", she pointed out arguing there needs to be “more systematic representation of speakers across the board and not just for keynotes".
Netizens also expressed their disappointment with the choice of speaker, with some stating they have thus been put off from attending such events:
“Perfect example of why CES is worse than useless and we no longer attend", Donna L Hoffman posted, with another potential guest retorting to the news about Ivanka’s selection:
“I prefer when Ivanka was just a crappy shoe salesperson instead of a crappy shoe salesperson we have to listen to".
Some couldn’t help but again bring up the nepotism rhetoric:
“But Republicans told me it was wrong for the child of an elected official to get paid for a job they have zero expertise for", one tweeted, while another posted laconically: “what a joke & insult".
“This is insulting to Everywoman [sic] who works in technology. Ivanka Trump has no background in computers or technology", another elaborated further, under the hashtag #PrincessNepotism.
Several meanwhile came up with practical tips on how to make women in tech heard:
The Consumer Electronics Show, commonly referred to by the abbreviation CES, announced the keynote speaker news this week. Ivanka is scheduled to give a speech on jobs and the future alongside Gary Shapiro, the CEO of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA).
The First Daughter enthusiastically outlined the event agenda in a statement:
“I am excited to join this year for a substantive discussion on the how the government is working with private-sector leaders to ensure American students and workers are equipped to thrive in the modern, digital economy", the senior White House aide, who has been of late developing a well-being programme for American workers and international empowerment projects, explained.