Perfectionism is often seen as a standard in academia. However, this standard is pushed harder on college girls.
Gender-based expectation
Many have heard the statement, “Women in STEM,” and the fact that women are a minority in STEM fields. This gender gap persists in the U.S. STEM workforce, with roughly 30% of women being represented in comparison to men who take up about 70% of jobs in related fields.
There are a variety of 2 main factors of why this gap is so prevalent:
1. lack of encouragement
A lack of encouragement ties into a lack of representation. Women are often stereotyped to be in fields thought to be “easy” or “feminine,” such as the humanities. Women are often undermined in their potential to do well in the STEM field.
The truth is that women are not encouraged to enter a “non-stereotypical” field due to other people thinking that it is too difficult for them.
2. WORkplace challenges
In addition to gender discrimination, the workplace often has gender bias.
Typically, those in higher positions are men. Therefore, they tend to prefer someone of the same gender to do the job. Additionally, this can also contribute to workplace discrimination.
perfectionism in Academic performance
Being a woman in a STEM major comes with different expectations than those of your male peers. Your grades reflect how much effort you put into a class, and being in STEM as a woman comes with high grade expectations.
1. “girls can’t handle it”
You’ve heard the stereotype that men are good at math and women are typically not. This harmful statement contributes to the immense pressure that women in STEM face when it’s time to show that they do not fit into this stereotype.
2. societal perceptions
As most already know, when you don’t fit into a box, this can be seen as “strange” or “rebellious.”
Another toxic line of thinking that is used against women in STEM is that they want to be a “man” by being in a male-dominated field. STEM being associated with masculinity is an attribution that is what makes women shy away from the field.
conclusion
There are countless issues surrounding women and the STEM field that are interlined with harmful stereotypes and biases.
Dismantling these societal issues and supporting women in these fields is one step forward in treating this issue.