Fired for Being Trans, Lynn Conway Became Tech Legend

Lynn Conway, a pioneering tech expert, holds a notable record for the longest delay between being unjustly fired and receiving an apology. In 1968, IBM dismissed Conway when she revealed her intention to transition. IBM, which now supports Pride Month, only apologized 52 years later, in 2020, when Conway was 82. Conway passed away on June 9, 2024, at the age of 86.

After her dismissal, Conway started anew at Xerox PARC, concealing her trans identity to avoid discrimination. This secrecy helped her avoid the negative media portrayal of trans individuals prevalent in the 20th century but also prevented her from fully sharing her story.

Conway’s groundbreaking work in chip design, particularly her co-invention of very large-scale integration (VLSI), revolutionized the field by enabling the creation of more powerful and efficient computer chips. Despite her significant contributions, her male co-inventor, Carver Mead, often received more credit, a phenomenon Conway termed the “Conway Effect.” This effect, similar to the Mathilda Effect, highlights how women and marginalized groups in computing are often overlooked and denied due recognition.

Conway recounted how Mead received solo accolades for their joint work and was celebrated at major industry events, while she and other women were excluded. In 2009, during a significant celebration of microelectronics pioneers, only male contributors were honored, further exemplifying this bias. Conway was finally added to the Computer History Museum in 2014, long after Mead.

In 1999, Conway publicly came out as trans and became an advocate for trans rights, maintaining a website to support other trans individuals and participating in events like a trans-inclusive version of “The Vagina Monologues.”

Re-reported from the article originally published in She the People.