It has become common today to dismiss the fact that there are few women in the STEM careers today. Why are not young women choosing to pursue careers in math and science? Throughout elementary, middle, and high school, boys and girls were in the same math and science courses. Once they begin college and can choose their own course study, they tend to shy away from STEM careers. Going into college, young women still want to do STEM studies and careers, but when graduation comes around, there are more men with STEM degrees when compared to women. Due to societal norms for young girls and it historically being male dominated field, as women they are not choosing careers in math and science. Society frames a picture on how women and men are supposed to choose careers for their lives. Young women themselves choose not to go into STEM because society is typically stereotyping men into these fields instead of women. …show more content…
“A new study from Girls Scout Research Institute (GSRI), "Generation STEM: What Girls Say, About Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)", shows that most girls have an interest in STEM, but when thinking about the future careers, they do not prioritizes STEM fields” (“Study Reveals What Girls Say About STEM”, 18). “Also, 57% of girls who said they were going to pursue STEM careers,said they would have to work twice as hard as men to get any respect” (“Study Reveals What Girls Say About STEM”). Record demonstrates men have a habit of giving women a hard time in these fields. Women also have no respect in these fields because men cannot accept the idea that women can have careers and be successful in a scientific field. Although not all men think alike, some of them will probably dispute my claim that women continue to be treated
But why? Girls can be intimidated by many things in STEM. Without support and education they can quickly lose interest in STEM. There are many things that can discourage girl from entering STEM. Girls lose interest because of “socialization and lack of exposure and access”. (Danae King, 2)The funny thing is girls and boys are equally interested in STEM until middle school. (Danae King, 8) One of the main reasons for this is STEM is a male dominated field. Girls can be very uncomfortable being the “only girl”. Girls often don’t think that they are smart enough to work in STEM fields. Words like rigorous and advanced can turn girls away from STEM fields because they feel intimidated.(Girls Scouts of America, page 10) African American and Latino girls can be even more discouraged because they have fewer support, low exposure, and low academic achievement than their white peers. As a result they are less likely to be involved in STEM fields. (Girl Scouts of America, page
In a randomized double- blind study, science faculty from a research- intensive university rated the application materials of a student who was randomly assigned either a male or female name – for a laboratory manager position. Faculty participants rated the male applicant as significantly more competent and hirable than the identical female applicant. Meditation analysis indicated that the female student was less likely to be hired because she was viewed as less competent. Studies like this directly proves that gender bias lives in STEM societies. It is quite disturbing that the Stem society would stop low and practice in gender discrimination. For instance, DR. Vera Rubin was a pioneering astronomer who found the first empirical proof of “Dark Matter”. But before that she was rejected by Princeton for a graduate degree because their astronomy program did not accept women, this incident was in 1948 the policy was upheld until 1975. To think that it has only been forty one years that Princeton has been accepting women is amazing. How does a prestigious university degrade and discriminate against women? Princeton turning away Dr. Vera Rubin a perfect example of how turning women away can substantially limit the discovery of the unknown. Another example is Emmy Noether, Emmy Noether is regarded as one of the most influential figures in mathematical history. Even albert Einstein thought she
"Why STEM Fields Still Don't Draw More Women." Chronicle Of Higher Education (2012): 3. Academic Search Premier. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.
In the working environment, there is focus on females having unequal salaries with males or where women are lacking. Sociology Professor of University of British Columbia, Neil Guppy, reveals statistics that point out males are more likely to become engineers; “. . .men with lower mathematics test scores are significantly more likely to enter and graduate from STEM degree fields” (Guppy 248). Additionally, “. . . domestic labor continues to be segregated into blue and pink jobs, with women disproportionately doing routine housework and childcare, and men concentrating most on non-routine domestic labor (e.g. fixing things)” (Guppy 251). Feminists have every right to argue for female inequality in the working environment; if women are able to score higher mathematics scores than males then they should have every right to obtain a STEM degree and enter fields of engineering. If women are able to prove throughout the course of the feminist movement that they are strong, they should be able to perform careers when they fix things. However, the perspective this writing takes doesn’t address how males fall victim to such careers; males are discriminated into performing non-routine domestic labor because they are supposed to be the “breadwinners” or perform physically demanding jobs. Just as females are disproportionately forced into domestic labor, so are males in STEM and engineering fields; if
Under closer inspection we are able to come together and fight the inequality that has been a part of our society for generations. Feminism brings to light the discrimination that has become the norm and calls for change. For example, Ben A Barres discusses in Commentary Does Gender Matter, the idea that women are “innately” less capable of doing things such as math and science. “Last year, Harvard University president Larry Summers suggested that differences in innate aptitude rather than discrimination were more likely to be to blame for the failure of women to advance in scientific career.” This sort of backwards thinking has set women back generations and is to blame for the lack of women in STEM fields. Barres also discusses how before he transitioned to a man, his work as a women in science was taken much less seriously and he was less respected. After the transition it was assumed that he was indeed a better scientist simply because he was a man. This sort of double standard and bias with women in these fields has led to such
Throughout the years, males have dominated the academic disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) with very few females finding their way in the mix (Steinberg, Okun, & Aiken, 2012). Those females enrolling in the STEM majors soon find themselves questioning why they have, and many quickly change their majors to more female-accepting professions (Steele, James, & Barnett, 2002). The view that women lack the intellect to succeeded in STEM disciplines has been a prevailing one for much of history (Cadinu, Maass, Rosabianca, & Kiesner, 2005). Many researchers have questioned whether it is social stigma impeding female success or indeed basic biological differences that make males are more successful in these fields than women (Smith, Sansone, & White, 2007).
From what has been discussed in class and from what society has taught me, there are more men in science. According to my results, I heavily associate men with science and women with liberal arts. I find this conclusion to be true because I’ve had my own experiences with these results. As a young student, my math and science classes were much more competitive and, as a female, I had to be better than not only the
There has been a study assessing the career preference of men and women, the study found that men are more attracted towards masculine job while women show no preference. This study also shows that men are more sensitive to gender stereotyping (Barth & Guadagno & Rice & Eno & Minney, 2015). The results of this study supports that men experience heavier social pressure and expectations to conform to society’s standards of masculinity. In addition, Current outcomes of studies highlights the underrepresentation of women in the field of STEM. Interestingly, while many women show interest in this field, only few would consider pursuing this option (Beede et al. 2011). This may be caused by women’s tendency to prioritize factors such as marriage, family, and helping others in choosing a career option, as jobs in the field of STEM are less accommodating to employees that are family oriented (Ceci et al. 2009). Expected themes seem to manifest in these data. There is a trend showing that both men and women’s career choice are somehow influenced by gender expectations and roles.
Over the past 20 years the number of women in the fields of math, science and
Have you wondered what would be the best degree to have in your life? The STEM vs. Humanities argument is a decades-long debate, but in this new era, the answer is quickly becoming clear. The STEM field is rapidly growing, with new and innovative advances. STEM degrees are becoming increasingly useful for young adults, far ahead of humanities and liberal arts degrees. STEM majors make more money, are better employed, and are better educated and prepared for work. STEM graduates are making nearly $16,000 more than their liberal arts counterparts and are more likely to hold a full-time job. The job market for STEM fields is also favorable for young adults, with the unemployment rate of STEM majors being a full 1.6% lower than the unemployment
That was the case of a soccer book over at Barnes and Noble, they book had the image of both a male and a female soccer player, but the gender differences were visible because the woman was behind the man and the man was the one in possession of the ball. Likewise, the same idea can be seen through the article of “What Gender Is Science?” by Maria Charles, where the author demonstrates the absence of women in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. In the article, Charles argues that the ability to select a career may cause women to reproduce gendered stereotypes, those that keeps them away from the STEM fields (223). After all, this all has to do with the socialization and gender expectations. It is those expectations/stereotypes that suggest that men are smarter and stronger than women that push women toward other career paths that continue to reproduce
Over the years there have been many changes in the work-place. Since the second World War there has been a steady increase of women on the workforce across all the different types of careers there are in the United States. Some careers have seen more of a rapid change than others, a few of the career fields that have not really had much growth in gender diversity have been Engineering and Technology. Both of these fields have always been more male dominate throughout the history of their existence. The problem is that both of these careers demand a constant stream of new innovative ideas to fuel advancements in different types of technology. Those advancements are also very important to the public’s day to day life, as both of these fields are all around us every day. There is no better way to get new ideas than to bring in someone who has a different thought process than you. That is why colleges and companies need to try harder to bring in women to these careers rather than overlook them. With that being said if someone is not right for the job, then they’re not right for the job, the problem is that many companies are choosing male engineers over female engineers. If the careers in these to field want to keep having great advancement, they’re going to need all the great minds that we can get, and stop turning so many away. There has been a lot of research done over this same subject over several years but the results do not seem to be changing, and again and again they always seem to so that men are favored over women when it comes to getting a job in the engineering and technology fields. The problem all boils down to the companies and colleges, both of which need to change so those who desire to excel in these fields, get ...
In many cases, women’s achievements are measured according to male oriented standards. I would like to argue with a more diverse approach to this cause. If humanity is comprised of both men and women, and we are equally dependent on each other for humanity’s survival, why are men and women not viewed as equals? These old attitudes are drilled into us from birth. If boys were taught mutual respect as they grew up, gender equality becomes a natural way of life. In the same way girls would need to be taught to set high goals; that they can reach as high as humanly possible. Unfortunately, typically male values and traditions have, over time, shaped the culture in Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) fields. This has created, in many ways, a hostile learning and working environment for women. From time immemorial, women have been regarde...
Parents and educators both display actions that could be and continue to affect the gender gap in STEM. By parents not giving both their sons and daughters an equal to the questions they ask, it supports the idea of why there is a lack of women in these areas of study. Female teachers also may be openly expressing their struggles with math and other similar areas have negatively affected the gap in STEM today. Direct biases and unconscious biases are both reasons that lead to a gap in these areas. But as female teenagers mature and grow older, they have different wants than men do when they grow
Girls are seen as caring, nurturing, quiet, and helpful. They place other’s needs above their own. Girls get ahead by hard work, not by being naturally gifted. Boys are seen as lazy, but girls are seen as not capable. In class, teacher will call on boys more than they call on girls. Boys are seen as better at math and science; while girls are better at reading and art. This bias is still at work even out of the classroom. There are more males employed at computer firms than women. The ratio of male to female workers in STEM fields is 3-1. In college, more women major in the humanities than in the sciences. In education, women are often seen as lesser than; even though 65% of all college degrees are earned by women. Women are still often seen as needing to be more decorative than intellectual, as represented by the Barbie who included the phrase, “Math is hard!” and the shirt that JC Penneys sold that said, “I’m too pretty to do homework, so my brother has to do it for me.” While there was a backlash on both items, it points out that there is a great deal of work to do on the educational gender bias to be