Why Are Girls Herded Away From Technical Fields?

A one sentence summary: "its bad enough, being in a physics department, seeing physicist compete to try to prove they're smarter than each other all the time; the last thing I need is to see them acting out this compulsion to prove that they are intellectual kings of the entire academy"(Weiner). True, but if

In the essay “When Brights Girls Decide that Math is a Waste of Time” by Susan Jacoby, Jacoby claims that girls develop deficiencies during their adolescent years by not taking math or science in their high school years. It can be argued that Jacoby’s thoughts on high school girls and math are incorrect due to the sexism that takes place in her essay, the amount of inaccurate and outdated information, and her argument that math and science is highly important.

The introductory sentence of Anna Hulbert’s article, “Boy Problems”, led to my reminiscence of my childhood days as a girl scout. My time spent as a girl scout was filled with cookie sales and father-daughter dances, not adults persuading me to pursue a career in either science, technology, or math. The “Girls Go Tech” campaigns warn that “by sixth grade, an alarming number of girls lose interest in math, science, and technology. Which means they won't qualify for most future jobs." However, this idea falls under the booby trap of a small sample. Concluding that young woman will not be qualified for a job based on a statistics that only represents the woman's primary schooling is absurd.

Interestingly enough, there are many traditional and social reasons responsible for girls decision of not getting involved in math and science. However, the main reason why females are behind in the field of science and technology is “Inflicted female disability” i.e. turning themselves away from studies. In adolescence, girls begin to fear that they will be unattractive to boys if they are typed as “brains” (Susan 114). So, they try to keep themselves away from advanced biology, physics, calculus and other studious subjects. Although we are in the 21st century and are the supporter of gender equality however the underlying discrimination

The force of societal stereotypes is a large part of this gap. Instead of joining STEM careers, the most common careers among women are secretaries, nurses, and elementary and middle school teachers (Mandell). This truly illustrates that when well-rounded, talented women have the choice, they are inclined to delve into the field in which society expects them to belong. In this way, the stereotype of women not being involved in STEM is forcing less women to be involved in these fields. The deficiency of women in technical fields, despite their well-roundedness and ability, can be directly related to unyielding cultural stereotypes that stigmatize women in supposedly masculine fields.

Erich Maria Remarque does a REMARQUEable job placing symbols throughout, one particular one is the usage of butterflies, in his already powerful text, of All Quiet on the Western Front. In the middle of waiting for the next bombardment, Paul sees “two butterflies play in front of our trench.” (127). Of course, after witnessing their arrival, all Paul can think is “What can they be looking for here?” (127). These flying flutterers of fragility are depicted generally as pretty, and lovely, but in the book they appear in the middle of a chaotic chapter. Not only are the little frivolously flapping floaters seen playing, they are seen playing in the vastness of nothing, and finally land on nothing else, but a soldier’s remnants. The butterflies

Susan Jacoby has held many professions from working as a freelance journalist to working as a reporter for the Washington Post. For the New York Times she wrote a piece tilted When Bright Girls Decide That Math Is “a Waste of Time”, in this piece she examines one applicable reason for as to why young women are producing lackluster work when it comes to math and science. Jacoby claims that young women are often deficient in such courses because they perceive these courses to be strongly correlated with masculinity and wisdom instead of femininity and appeal. As a result of such views, young women turn to courses and interests where women are held as a majority and where men are sparsely populated and recognized, dropping and rejecting courses that they have typed as instrumental. Jacoby states

While I agree that by the time I got to college, I sought to choose a career based on my interests and not social standards of gender, I was not always this way as a child. Growing up, I was strong in science and math, but I struggled with reading. My third grade teacher told me, “Girls are good at reading. They hate math.” At that point, I thought something was wrong with me, because I liked math and not reading. I also tended to play more with boys and preferred

In the article, “When Bright girls Decide Math is a Waste of Time”, the narrator tells us that she dropped a math class, so that she could take a theater class, even though she had one of the best grades in her class. She concluded that math and science are masculine subject and she needed to be in something more feminine like art or theater. She also shows stats that girls at age thirteen were better than boys in masculine subject of algebra. This article show us the society says women should shy away from math and science even though they are very good at it. This is one definition that is being drastically changed.

Dr Susan Mendez, from the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, recently wrote a paper analysing girls and boys who scored exactly the same numeracy results; out of these students, the boys were more likely to choose STEM subjects for their final schooling years; due to the moral support in their homes and schooling communities. Girls aren’t encouraged to choose STEM subjects and they are left in humanities

The discovery of interests in school begins at a young age, “career aspirations based on individual aptitudes, interests, and values are formulated during adolescence and shape the academic choices that lead to the STEM career pipeline” (Wang 771). Girls may discover that they are interested in science or mathematics at an early age, but they are generally compared to their male counterparts, who are given more attention at a younger age to pursue careers in this field. This time frame is critical, if attention is not given and more concentration is placed, girls may lose interest or consideration in the subject, seeing that it has nothing to offer for them. Jill Bystydzienski asserts, “little attention is paid, however to girls’ engagements with engineering during early stages of decision making” (1-2). If young females were given personal interactions with a field, they can then decide if they have a further interest in the subject. With no introduction to the field in middle school or even high school, the girls do not really understand what they can do with the profession. Some may explore options on their own, and others may just bypass the opportunities that could await them, “young girls cannot possibly consider opportunities they do not know exist” (“Why STEM”). Even when interest is expressed by girls at a young age they still do not have as many resources to opportunities to learn more about the

Elaine McArdle states “When it comes to certain math- and science-related jobs, substantial numbers of women - highly qualified for the work - stay out of those careers because they would simply rather do something else” (McArdle). Again this comes back to the sheer preference of what women want to do. Maybe it’s due to the job being too demanding, stressful, and unsatisfying. Whatever the case may be women have this option that they explore continuously. According to a survey conducted by Joshua Rosenbloom that was presented by McArdle stated

Other companion planting stars come back every year, too. Rue repels Japanese beetles near fruit trees and roses (and according to some cultures, it also repels ghosts, always a bonus). Bronze fennel, the preferred host of a swallowtail butterfly, is far less attractive to aphids, who won’t come near it. Give your cats a treat and plant them a perennial catnip patch. They’ll have double the fun trying to catch all the pollinators who adore catnip, too. Take it from me, butterflies can fly very quickly when they have to.

The fear of getting very technical or involved in a field that is male dominated is a major obstacle and is a reflection of the number of women in technical fields. Most women my age believe in the notion of leaving the hard and dirty work to the men. I wish girls didn’t have to be afraid

One study showed that 1 out of 6 girls taking calculus and/or physics in high school were interested in going on to college to get an engineering degree. Maybe it has to do with the difference in tastes