"Not enough women choose STEM subjects"

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I think the lack of women going into stem subjects is based on the discouragement many women receive at an early age. If you look at the toys children are given to play with, boys get superheroes and bob the builder and trucks and lab kits etc whilst girls get kitchens and baby dolls... As if the toy industry is prepping young children for the future society says they're "supposed" to have. Granted, there is more unisex toys coming onto the market now, but these do not affect the women picking their A-levels/degree/career right now.

Reply 81

drinktheoceans

Original post by noidea3

I think that girls should be encouraged to do STEM subjects in high school. In my school, theres very few girls in my triple science class. And in computer science (only avaliable to the years below) theres 3 girls. We're entitled to do what we want though regardless of gender. Im picking all STEM subjects for A level as these are the only subjects that interest me and Im self teaching computer science.
I am a girl btw

There are 2 girls doing A Level Physics in the entirety of Year 12 in my sixth form, I don't think that girls don't have the same opportunities as guys, it's just that they choose not to do these subjects. Never heard a girl say she doesn't want to do these subjects because it's "for guys" or because it's full of them, it's always because they've never enjoyed it.

Reply 82

noidea3

Original post by drinktheoceans

I didnt mean we dont have equal opportunities sorry if it came across like that but unfortunetly i have heard girls say stem is for boys

Reply 83

drinktheoceans

Original post by noidea3

I didnt mean we dont have equal opportunities sorry if it came across like that but unfortunetly i have heard girls say stem is for boys

Tell them otherwise because they've been misinformed :smile:

Reply 84

Asurat

I thought the idea was that there's a deficit of engineers and that STEM fields are generally more important, so the more STEM graduates the merrier?

Reply 85

noidea3

Original post by drinktheoceans

Tell them otherwise because they've been misinformed :smile:

Its weird though the highest achievers in STEM at my school are girls. I just love STEM subjects though

Reply 86

CaitlinDy

I'm going to study a physics degree with a view of getting a PhD. Personally, I think it would be wrong to force women to study STEM subjects; if they don't feel comfortable or confident in studying them, that should be the end of it.
It takes a particular type of person to enjoy double integrals or the General Theory of Relativity, and most women don't feel it's something they'd like to do for their whole life. Me on the other hand...

Reply 87

EmperorPowerMan

Original post by CaitlinDy

This exactly, most men don't even like STEM, I mean in wider society, and I think women generally (From my personal anecdotes) arent generally drawn to it either, so just like with men, its going to be a minority. I don't really believe this stuff about toys because toys are targeted by gender because thats what sells more, whether thats because its what they are or what they are taught to like, well its debatable. Even taking this into account, women all get exposure to STEM in High School and are given equal oppurtunities and many do well in these subjects at GCSEs, I don't think its a lack of ability, just a lack of desire, same as most men aren't into some of the things women generally like. Lets be honest here, the kind of person that is passionate about STEM and devoting their life to the sciences or maths is a minority.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 88

Danibear_365

Original post by Frank the Tankk

Women are going into STEM though, there's only a handful of subjects now that have a pronounced gender imbalance in favour of men. Namely, the hard engineering subjects and Computer Science. At that, most of the top university programs in the subjects have a much better balance; showing the women who are talented and passionate about the hard sciences/engineering subjects will ultimately end up studying them.

There seems to be little attention going towards the general gender imbalance in higher education...every year we're getting closer to a 60:40 split in favour of women and they've been more likely to go to university than men since the early 2000s (not to be the guy who cries "WHAT ABOUT THE MENZZ???!??!").

To address the ratio you’ve referenced above, I suggest scholarships and bursaries towards getting men into English, Humanities and Linguistics, it’s only fair. And like with what Microsoft is doing with DigiGirlz, Humanities companies, like consultancy firms, marketing firms, news stations etc. Need to do a program for boys.

I think students as a whole need to see role models with English or humanities degrees is who are making something of themselves (for example the CEO of YouTube /Communications/ Marketing Directors of big firms) because currently most students believe there’s no money in it, so boys who are little more likely to become a breadwinner, won’t or don’t choose it.

Reply 89

JMo03

Original post by Danibear_365

Five years old, mate

Reply 90

Danibear_365

Original post by Jmoore12

Five years old, mate

Oh 🤦*♀️

Reply 91

Redfrost

I don’t know why more women don’t choose more male dominated courses, wish I’d have done so there’s more men I’d have more chance of getting the guys 😄

Reply 92

JMo03

Original post by Redfrost

I don’t know why more women don’t choose more male dominated courses, wish I’d have done so there’s more men I’d have more chance of getting the guys 😄

Still five years old

Reply 93

rhysisuncool

I’ve said all along that to get more people interested in pursuing STEM subjects, they need to be doing visits to/events for schools around Year 6/Year 7.