MISSING: Women in STEM

By Audrey Hwang

Women make up only 34% of the workforce in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), and men vastly outnumber women majoring in most STEM fields in college. 

But why?

There are two main reasons for this large disparity: sexism and the lack of role models.

SEXISM:

Many women who try to come into these male dominated organizations find themselves facing unfriendly environments and difficult work cultures. There are stereotypes in the workplace about women, especially in STEM fields, from whether a woman is truly able to do the job, to criticism about her tone of voice or work habits. 

Even from a young age, girls are told to be nurses, not doctors. Designers, not engineers. Research assistants, not scientists. Planting the belief that popular careers in STEM aren’t ‘feminine’ enough

These sexist claims are based on personal opinions, not the statistics. The path into STEM is hard, and the women in the field are just as smart, just as experienced, and just as capable as the men around them.

The numbers show that women are just as capable as men are. In fact, women-led groups in Antarctica find important innovations in one of the most scientifically-rich continents. But even here, a male supervisor reportedly attempted to break into female colleagues’ rooms using his master keys. One woman was so frightened she carried a hammer around base with her.

In workplaces where most employees are men, about half of women in STEM say their gender has been an impediment to success on the job

But it goes past gender inequities, going as far as sexual harassment in the workplace. 58% of female STEM students reported sexual harassment including but not limited to, attempted rape, unwanted sexual attention, and sexual comments during their years of academia.

Women in the field are no different from men, they are there to do their job. They can’t do that when men don’t interact with their female coworkers in a professional manner.

LACK OF ROLE MODELS:

Sexism doesn’t start when women get their first jobs, it starts when they enter into school. Professors discourage female students from STEM majors, making them believe that they aren’t smart enough.

When girls are pushed away from their dreams and forced to study something more ‘traditional’, the number of women in STEM is a systemic cycle of decreasing numbers. 

With only a small number of people to look up to, girls lack the role models who show them that their dreams are within reach. 

So for any girls reading this who have an interest in STEM, don’t let the voices of others discourage you from your dreams. You are just as capable, if not more, as any other person in the field. 

The path to equality isn’t perfectly paved. It's a long, bumpy road filled with unexpected twists and turns, but there is an end. 

Your journey through the sciences is enough to make the future of other girls easier, one at a time. Gender is never the defining factor of a dream.