WIA

Variety reports.

... According to figures compiled last year by the Animation Guild for Women In Animation’s presentation at Annecy, only 20% of the animation workforce is made up of women. Broken down further, the survey found that 10% of animation producers-directors, 17% of writers, 21% of designers and 23% of animators are women.

“The first thing we’re asked when we share these startling statistics is ‘How does this happen? Why does this happen?’ And the next question is ‘How do we change it?’ ” says WIA co-president Marge Dean. “The answer is very complicated. There are things that go on systemically and in the general culture of male dominance in the industry. Then there’s internal issues with women themselves.” ...

Jennifer Yuh Nelson, director of DreamWorks Animation’s “Kung Fu Panda 2” and co-director of “Kung Fu Panda 3,” is one of the few female animation directors in the industry today. Her advice to women looking to make their own mark in the business is to persevere. “There are so many ways of doing a job. Doing this role is not a stereotype,” she says. “They can do whatever makes them comfortable as long as they love what their doing and they keep at it.” ...

Earlier this year, Guild analyses showed that 21% of TAG's working members were female. (Here's a breakdown from last April.)

More and more, college animation departments have classes that are predominantly female. Such being the case, it's only a matter of time before women will be working on an equal footing with men in the cartoon biz.

And after that, a more than equal footing.