Throughout the world, there have been many advances in science and technology, improving the lives of many, if not all, people. However, only certain individuals were allowed to participate in the process of progress—men. Society excluded women from the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), diminishing the input and contributions of half of the population and slowing technological development. There are many reasons for this. Because of sexism, prejudice, and discrimination, women were long unable to participate in knowledge-sharing and innovation, stifling their potential and worsening existing inequalities. Although we have made great strides in including women in education and the workforce, sexism and stereotypes still exist, and still prevent women from taking part in the sciences.
The gendered division of labor played an instrumental role in furthering sexist stereotypes of women. Society promoted this division, whereby women would stay in the house while men worked outside of the home. Accordingly, many traditions and values emerged to reinforce female submission and family unity. Social norms dictated that it was necessary for women to have a husband and children, and the propagation of these norms led people to genuinely believe that women lacked the intelligence and skills necessary to pursue an education or understand the sciences. An article published by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers in 1917 said that “under certain conditions, and with the right training, women become almost, if not totally, equal to men.” With this skeptical mentality it was very difficult—if not impossible—for women to enter the academic sphere, since there was an institutional mistrust of the capabilities of women. Despite all that stood in their way, some women were able to establish themselves within male-dominated fields. According to John Lienhard of the University of Houston, “In 1888, the patent office issued a list of all inventors since 1790. There it showed only 52 [female] names before 1860, and between 1860 and 1888, almost 3000.” While this attests to the incredible tenacity of women, the barriers to female success remain unjustifiable.
Blatant sexism has decreased since the nineteenth century, but positions of power continue to be disproportionately held by men, and women still constitute only a small percentage of those who follow science and technology paths. John Lienhard states that “women represent 16 percent of engineering students, and they are an important part of the engineering world.” Leyre Iglesias del Mundo tells us that “in Europe, 60% of the graduates are women, but only 18% of the professors are occupied by a female.” Men still dominate the sciences, although women have made some progress. Gender discrimination remains rampant in the STEM world, especially in the realms of technology and medicine, and especially for women of color. According to Buenos Aires astronomer Javiera Ray, “Half of the black and Latino scientific women surveyed said they were confused with administrative or cleaning staff.”
Sexism played—and still plays—an important role in promoting gender roles that relegate women to the household, where they are expected to take care of the children. While having a family is certainly not a bad thing in and of itself, other possibilities must be made available and accessible to women. It is crucial that we promote women’s intelligence and continue to fight stereotypes, with the evidence overwhelmingly suggesting that, particularly within the STEM fields, there is much work still to be done.
Image Source: Elsevier