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Why does the gender ratio in Biology turn me off?

I have received an offer for Biochemistry at Imperial, which I am very pleased about.

But for some reason it turns me off to know that in biological sciences the majority are women (I'm female)?? I have no idea why though

It sort of reminds me of the "don't want to be a part of a club that wants me as a member"-complex.

Has anybody felt something similar?

Reply 1

Absent Agent

Original post by vildeung

Hmm, that's strange! But maybe because biological sciences are considered as "soft" sciences. :tongue:

Spoiler

Reply 2

troubadour.

Original post by Mehrdad jafari

Hmm, that's strange! But maybe because biological sciences are considered as "soft" sciences. :tongue:

Spoiler

What's that now? :shakecane:

Reply 3

vildeung

But how come there are so many more female biologists than eg. physicist?? I personally just find physical sciences "boring"/dry (unless there is some biological aspect to it!! :wink:

), but I can't understand what that has to do with gender..

Reply 4

Kevin De Bruyne

Maybe you want to meet someone on your course and you'll have a bit of competition? :iiam:

Reply 5

Bupdeeboowah

Original post by SeanFM

Maybe you want to meet someone on your course and you'll have a bit of competition? :iiam:

Should switch to Imperial engineering then; her coursemates would wage war on each other just to give her their notes.

Reply 6

Kevin De Bruyne

Original post by Bupdeeboowah

Should switch to Imperial engineering then; her coursemates would wage war on each other just to give her their notes.

I can totally see that happening.

Reply 7

Student403

Original post by bupdeeboowah

should switch to imperial engineering then; her coursemates would wage war on each other just to give her their notes.

loooooool

Reply 8

karl pilkington

Look at it another way you get to be around loads of women. I did biology and there were loads of girls on it but still guys. It is better than physics or engineering which is just a sausage fest.

Reply 9

vildeung

Why is there such a gender gap you think?

Reply 10

Twinpeaks

Because of your implicit attitudes. Today woman are still perceived as academically inferior to men, if not explicitly, definitely implicitly.

Therefore you perceive a female dominated subject as weaker due to spill over from this. If women are academically weaker, then female dominated courses must also be academically inferior.

Of course it's a load of bull ****e, and if you had an ounce of sense you'd recognise that those attitudes are neither accurate, or helpful.
:smile:

Reply 11

Octohedral

Do maths.

No, I kind of understand it, but I would advise you to just do what you enjoy and what you are good at. Those are the two most important factors to success (because they bring about dedication).

Maybe you feel subconsciously like it's an inferior subject because lots of women do it? (Unfortunately, it's not that far fetched to suggest there is subconscious stigma attached to jobs that are dominated by women, even if that stigma comes from women themselves - it doesn't mean it's true, just that there's a societal legacy from the past that we have to overcome).

Or perhaps, as you say, you have a desire to be 'different'? There's actually nothing wrong with that - in some ways it's just part of being an ambitious person - but I don't think it's a good enough reason to swap a subject you enjoy for one you don't.

Either way, congratulations on your offer - Biochemistry at Imperial is no mean feat.

(edited 8 years ago)

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