Declarative is a Feminist Issue

Front-end web development is rooted in two declarative languages (HTML and CSS) and one imperative language (JavaScript) that can be written in a functional style. Front-end web development is also noted for contentious and ever-shifting gender dynamics – one year HTML and CSS are “for girls” and “not real programming,” another year it's JavaScript that's looked down upon. In this talk, we'll look at the history of front-end development through the twin lenses of gender and declarativity. Along the way, we'll see how gendered programming trends boosted the adoption of popular frameworks – and led to the quiet death of others. We'll get real about the social forces that have affected the credibility and “approachability” of declarative methods in front-end, and talk about how these same forces might play out in other declarative projects.