Why is Computer Science regarded as a "boys" Subject?*.

What makes a subject primarily a "Boys" subject.

This question has been playing on my mind since I started Sixth Form in 2016 and found I was the only girl in my Computer Science. I really want to know why there are not many girls taking subjects like Computing, Product Design, Maths, Physics, Engineering.

I was wondering if you guys could help.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 1

Pangol

15

Original post by TiggerTiger

What makes a subject primarily a "Boys" subject.

It really shouldn't be, but society's expectations are a big factor. It's also the case that, while many teachers are excellent and very supportive, there are others who don't take girl's ambitions in this area seriously.

It doesn't have to be this way, though. I'm delighted to say that the first and second year A level maths classes that I teach this year are both more than 50% girls (this is a small sixth form attached to a standard state school).

Reply 2

GamingAnonymous

13

If a lot of girls just dont enjoy it does that make it a "boys" subject? I dont have any stats about the number of girls interested and the number of girls who decided not to pursue it because of this stigma but I would certainly be interested if there was one.

Reply 3

TiggerTiger

OP

4

Original post by Pangol

It really shouldn't be, but society's expectations are a big factor. It's also the case that, while many teachers are excellent and very supportive, there are others who don't take girl's ambitions in this area seriously.

It doesn't have to be this way, though. I'm delighted to say that the first and second year A level maths classes that I teach this year are both more than 50% girls (this is a small sixth form attached to a standard state school).

Thank you for your reply. I was speaking to my Computer Science teacher about this and he was telling me that most people relate Computers to games so boys want to take it because they might get to play games. He told me that he was delighted when he saw my name on the register because it meant that I can show people that it is not just for boys. He said that he plans to get more girls into computing, games and engineering (he also teaches that too) in the very near future and said he wants me to help. He also said that girls need to stop thinking that they are inferior to boys because they really are not. It makes no difference if you are boy or a girl! Girls are just as capable and able regardless of whether they are a girl or not!

Reply 4

DarthRoar

20

Because most girls don't want to do it. None of this 'not enough encouragement' or 'no opportunities' excuses, but because most don't want to go into computing areas. Just like how most guys don't wanna be a midwife.

Reply 5

zaranna23

2

I believe it's as the majority of people who work in the computing industry are male, like 90 something %, but at my sixth form there are actually more girls taking computer science than boys

Reply 6

TiggerTiger

OP

4

Original post by DarthRoar

Because most girls don't want to do it. None of this 'not enough encouragement' or 'no opportunities' excuses, but because most don't want to go into computing areas. Just like how most guys don't wanna be a midwife.

But why. Computers and technologies (E.g: Mobile Phone - Games you play on it are programmed) are used everyday even when you might not think it. They say that girls are the one to use their phones the most. If this is true why don't girls want to know what makes the little item in their hands work and makes the world so boring without it. If they are so engrossed with playing with their phone why they don't they want to make an operating system or game for it using programming. Why don't girls play on games consoles if they are always on their phone. I know this is a hard discussion but I really want to find out why I'm the only girl in my computing class and computing is the only subject at my Sixth Form which doesn't have a kind of equal gender divide.

Reply 7

HaroldW

3

Girls usually aren't interested in the subject. There's plenty of girls in my other STEM classes.

Reply 8

TiggerTiger

OP

4

Original post by zaranna23

I believe it's as the majority of people who work in the computing industry are male, like 90 something %, but at my sixth form there are actually more girls taking computer science than boys

How many girls are doing it and How many boys are doing it?

Reply 9

zaranna23

2

Original post by TiggerTiger

How many girls are doing it and How many boys are doing it?

If I remember correctly there are 11 or 12 girls with 6 boys

Reply 10

LibertarianMP

18

Original post by TiggerTiger

What makes a subject primarily a "Boys" subject.

This question has been playing on my mind since I started Sixth Form in 2016 and found I was the only girl in my Computer Science. I really want to know why there are not many girls taking subjects like Computing, Product Design, Maths, Physics, Engineering.

I was wondering if you guys could help.
Thanks
Aimee

Unfortunately its not seen as cool . But thats changing, my school has a club for girls to get into coding, and I help out with it on lunchtimes occasionally, since it was started due to years like mine being all boy or massively boy(I'm a lad).

Reply 11

TiggerTiger

OP

4

Original post by mrwb9876

Unfortunately its not seen as cool . But thats changing, my school has a club for girls to get into coding, and I help out with it on lunchtimes occasionally, since it was started due to years like mine being all boy or massively boy(I'm a lad).

My school is in exactly the same boat. My teacher asked me to help with his coding club. It was open for just girls for like one term and went on for an hour after school. Unfortunately only two girls were turning up and it was the same girls every week. My teacher said that it clearly wasn't working and the next term opened it up for the boys. Within the first week of this happening we had about 8 boys in the club and there was now only one girl.
I remeber being asked by this year 9 boy about why I was in the club helping out if it was open for boys. I told him it wasn't but his response was "look around you, there is mostly only boys in here even the teacher is a boy. Girls can't code". I told him to stop being so sexist and just walked away. The next week both of the girls had stopped coming and my teacher felt really guilty because he thought that the boys must of put the girls off. He never ran this coding club again.

Reply 12

LibertarianMP

18

Original post by TiggerTiger

My school is in exactly the same boat. My teacher asked me to help with his coding club. It was open for just girls for like one term and went on for an hour after school. Unfortunately only two girls were turning up and it was the same girls every week. My teacher said that it clearly wasn't working and the next term opened it up for the boys. Within the first week of this happening we had about 8 boys in the club and there was now only one girl.
I remeber being asked by this year 9 boy about why I was in the club helping out if it was open for boys. I told him it wasn't but his response was "look around you, there is mostly only boys in here even the teacher is a boy. Girls can't code". I told him to stop being so sexist and just walked away. The next week both of the girls had stopped coming and my teacher felt really guilty because he thought that the boys must of put the girls off. He never ran this coding club again.

To be fair the same can be said for subjects like sociology and psychology but the over way around, only one lad took sociology in my year and dropped it pretty quickly. But we do need to do something about both sides, and I think coding clubs do work long term, this year the computing class is like 1/3 female, a huge improvement

Reply 13

DarthRoar

20

Original post by TiggerTiger

But why.

They don't want to. But why? Well, many have tried to explain it, and the best one seems to be biology. Women tend towards nurturing and creativity jobs, ones where interacting with people and helping them is involved. This could be due to ingrained maternal instincts or general behavioral patterns.

Reply 14

M4cc4n4

20

The funny ish thing is, there was a study on SE that had people compare code and day which is better, when no name or gender was attached to the code, it was generally that the woman's code was seen as better, however when names were applied the man's was said to be better, so idk sexism

Reply 15

Ganjaweed Rebel

17

Women don't have floppy disks or firmware

Reply 16

ElAshtonio

14

Because boys are more mathematically inclined, much like how girls are more arts inclined (Generally speaking)

Reply 17

username1207499

18

Computer science is seen as a subject for spotty autistic nerds. Hence the only real reasons people start studying it are for money or because they play videogames and want to see how they’re made/make them. Girls are not motivated by money generally when choosing careers and they don’t play games nearly as much as boys.

Reply 18

Hirsty97

21

Because it's pretty banal to them and it's mostly logic-based when in general (emphasis) girls have a harder time with this.

I wish there were more cute girls doing it but I know if I did a degree in computer science I'd be setting myself up for a career full of sweaty socially awkward nerds

Reply 19

Pangol

15

Original post by Hirsty97

I wish there were more cute girls doing it but I know if I did a degree in computer science I'd be setting myself up for a career full of sweaty socially awkward nerds

I'm sure that the knowledge that the lads doing computer science are waiting for more "cute" girls to also do it so that they have some eye candy is exactly what is needed to get more women involved in the subject.

Why is Computer Science regarded as a "boys" Subject?*.

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