MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Feb. 27 (UPI) -- According to a study by the nonprofit organization SPARK Movement, white men comprise 62 percent of Google Doodle honorees from 2010-2013.
The study shows that of the 445 doodles that celebrated human individuals, 62 percent were white men, 18 percent were men of color, 3 percent were uncertain men, 12 percent were white women, 4 percent were women of color, and 1 percent were uncertain women.
That leaves the gender breakdown at 83 percent men and 17 percent women.
The SPARK movement used this study to promote making more women and particularly women of color Google Doodle honorees, and Google has already taken steps to feature more women of color in 2014 than all previous years.
They only counted human individuals and not cartoon figures, such as Wilma Flintstone. Given the long history of white men being honored more than other groups, SPARK hoping to highlight women and people of color who have had an impact on history.
"I think that in part it's the makeup of [tech] companies, but also just the way we teach and learn history and Google Doodles are really only a small part of that." says SPARK program coordinator Melissa Campbell.
[WSJ Live]
