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Include women now and they might not be as good but they will inspire the next generation Inspire the next generation how exactly? "Your predecessor was fillin

Include women now and they might not be as good but they will inspire the next generation Inspire the next generation how exactly? "Your predecessor was filling a quota but you're here on merit, honest"?

Grustaf 6y ago
I don't know about you but I didn't choose to study physics based on the demography of physicist. It's always strange to hear people argue that correctly gendered "role models" are so important. The main difference between an average female physics student and Isaac Newton is not their gender, she is just as different from him as I am.
- pleasejuststop 6y ago
  Rather than strive for "not judging a book by its cover", the culture of America has pulled a 180 and decided that the cover matters most. Trying to argue counter to this makes you an enemy, or confirmation bias for being a racist (as seen in such chartoppers as "White Fragility")
- supergirl 6y ago
  here is a highly cited article: https://www.hw.ac.uk/services/docs/same-gender-role-models.pdf https://www.hw.ac.uk/services/docs/same-gender-role-models.p... > In both studies, results indicated that female participants were more inspired by outstanding female than male role models; in contrast, gender did not determine the impact of role models on male participants.
  - Grustaf 6y ago
    Perhaps that indicates better approach than forced quotas, try to get women to be less concerned by the gender of role models?
- nathan11 6y ago
  I tend to downplay the impact of role model demographics as well, but then I recognize that I'm represented literally everywhere--except perhaps US football and basketball. I'm willing to accept that because the norm is people that look like me are everywhere, I don't notice the impact it has on me.
  - Grustaf 6y ago
    The studies that show that women are more inspired by other women also show that men are indifferent to the gender of the role-model. Not that these studies seem that convincing.

Grustaf 6y ago

I don't know about you but I didn't choose to study physics based on the demography of physicist. It's always strange to hear people argue that correctly gendered "role models" are so important. The main difference between an average female physics student and Isaac Newton is not their gender, she is just as different from him as I am.

pleasejuststop 6y ago
Rather than strive for "not judging a book by its cover", the culture of America has pulled a 180 and decided that the cover matters most. Trying to argue counter to this makes you an enemy, or confirmation bias for being a racist (as seen in such chartoppers as "White Fragility")
supergirl 6y ago
here is a highly cited article: https://www.hw.ac.uk/services/docs/same-gender-role-models.pdf https://www.hw.ac.uk/services/docs/same-gender-role-models.p... > In both studies, results indicated that female participants were more inspired by outstanding female than male role models; in contrast, gender did not determine the impact of role models on male participants.
- Grustaf 6y ago
  Perhaps that indicates better approach than forced quotas, try to get women to be less concerned by the gender of role models?
nathan11 6y ago
I tend to downplay the impact of role model demographics as well, but then I recognize that I'm represented literally everywhere--except perhaps US football and basketball. I'm willing to accept that because the norm is people that look like me are everywhere, I don't notice the impact it has on me.
- Grustaf 6y ago
  The studies that show that women are more inspired by other women also show that men are indifferent to the gender of the role-model. Not that these studies seem that convincing.