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Some food for thought: in countries with higher overall gender equality (e.g. the most progressive countries in Western Europe), relatively few women end up in
by MontyCarloHall 4y ago
Some food for thought: in countries with higher overall gender equality (e.g. the most progressive countries in Western Europe), relatively few women end up in STEM. Conversely, in countries with lower gender equality (e.g. the Middle East, South Asia), large numbers of women end up in STEM [0].
From the article:
>It could have to do with the fact that women in countries with higher gender inequality are simply seeking the clearest possible path to financial freedom. And typically, that path leads through STEM professions.
>The upshot of this research is neither especially feminist nor especially sad: It’s not that gender equality discourages girls from pursuing science. It’s that it allows them not to if they’re not interested.
[0] https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/02/the-more-gender-equality-the-fewer-women-in-stem/553592/ https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/02/the-more...
- anonymouspanda 4y agoInteresting - food for thought indeed! Still (also from the article): > Instead, this line of research, if it’s replicated, might hold useful takeaways for people who do want to see more Western women entering STEM fields. In this study, the percentage of girls who excelled in science or math was still larger than the number of women who were graduating with STEM degrees. That means there’s something in even the most liberal societies that’s nudging women away from math and science, even when those are their best subjects. The women-in-STEM advocates could, for starters, focus their efforts on those would-be STEM stars. How do you find those would-be STEM stars? How do you encourage them to pursue STEM?