A professional woman was denied entry to a high-profile technology trade show at Marina Bay Sands after arriving with her nine-month-old son, sparking a conversation about parental inclusivity in the tech industry. The incident occurred during GITEX AI Asia, a large-scale artificial intelligence event held from April 9 to 10, where the attendee was informed that a strict age policy barred anyone under the age of 18 from entering the venue.
Cheryl Choe, a 36-year-old business development manager, shared her experience in a Facebook post on April 9, describing the emotional toll of being turned away while carrying her child in a baby carrier. Choe, who has recently pivoted her career toward the technology sector, had intended to network and visit a booth operated by friends. Instead, she found herself unable to participate in the event due to a universal ban on minors.
The event, which featured more than 550 technology enterprises and startups from over 110 countries, is designed as a professional hub for AI innovation. However, for Choe, the rigid application of the entry rules highlighted a disconnect between the industry’s professional ambitions and the practical realities of working parents.
“I’ll be honest… I teared up when I walked away. I was so, so, so upset. Not as I don’t understand rules, but because it just felt so off,” Choe wrote. She questioned whether the industry creates environments where mothers are permitted to exist in a general sense, but are effectively barred from professional participation.
The confrontation at registration
The incident began around 3:30 p.m. When Choe arrived at the registration area of the Marina Bay Sands venue. Despite her baby being quiet and secured in a carrier, staff stopped her at the entrance. When she requested to speak with a supervisor or representative to appeal the decision, she was informed that the restriction was a universal policy applying to all individuals under 18.
Choe noted that she had initially attempted to secure childcare for the day, but those arrangements fell through at the last minute. While she admitted she was unaware of the specific age restriction at the time of her arrival, she expressed a belief that such rules are typically intended to prevent disruptions from older children or toddlers, rather than infants in carriers.
The specific policy barring those under 18 is listed in the footer of the GITEX Asia website. For many attendees, such fine-print restrictions can be overlooked until the point of entry, leading to the kind of friction experienced by Choe.
Industry norms and the ‘participation gap’
Following the incident, Choe sought perspectives from colleagues and friends within the tech community. She was told that such restrictive entry policies are common across various industry trade shows and corporate events. While Choe stated that she understands the logic behind maintaining a professional environment, she argued that a lack of flexibility for parents creates an unnecessary barrier to entry for women in the workforce.
The situation underscores a broader tension in the global tech landscape: the push for diversity and inclusion versus the adherence to traditional, rigid corporate protocols. By barring infants, events may inadvertently signal that the professional sphere is not designed for those with caregiving responsibilities.
Timeline of the incident
| Time/Phase | Event Detail |
|---|---|
| 3:30 PM | Ms. Choe arrives at Marina Bay Sands for GITEX AI Asia. |
| Registration | Staff deny entry due to the presence of a nine-month-old infant. |
| Appeal | Company representative confirms the under-18 ban is universal. |
| Departure | Ms. Choe exits the event and utilizes a nearby nursing room. |
Personal and professional impact
While Choe did not suffer a direct financial loss—having held a free ticket to the event—the impact was personal and familial. She expressed significant regret that her father, a private-hire driver, had taken time away from his work to drive her to the venue.
“I felt super bad because he could have picked up a customer or two instead,” she said. After being turned away, Choe did not attempt to re-enter the event, instead heading to a nursing room within the mall to breastfeed her son.
The incident has prompted a wider discussion on “participation spaces.” Choe’s reflection—”So we’ve designed spaces for mothers to exist but not to participate?”—points to a systemic issue where facilities like nursing rooms are provided in malls, yet the professional events hosted within those same complexes remain inaccessible to the parents who need them.
GITEX Asia has been contacted for comment regarding the rigidity of their age policy and whether any exceptions are made for infants in carriers, though a formal response has not yet been publicized.
As the tech industry continues to evolve, the demand for more flexible, family-friendly professional standards is likely to grow. The next point of evaluation for such policies often comes during the post-event review and the planning phases for subsequent annual summits, where organizers assess attendee feedback and accessibility complaints.
We invite our readers to share their thoughts on professional event policies and parental inclusivity in the comments below.
