Society has long been shaped by gender roles established in almost every aspect of life. These roles are perhaps the most apparent in education and the workforce. Historically, women have been systematically restricted access to higher education. Though educational opportunities have greatly increased over time, the field of STEM remains considerably imbalanced between male and female students. According to the United States Census Bureau, “women made gains from 8% of STEM workers in 1970 to 27% in 2019 but men still dominated the field, [making] up 52% of all U.S. workers but 73% of all STEM workers.” Despite the fact that significant strides have been made in opening education to women in recent decades, evidently, much work remains to be done—especially in the field of STEM.
The primary factors perpetuating the gender gap in STEM are gender stereotypes, male-dominated cultures, and a lack of role models. Too often, STEM fields are seen as masculine, and teachers and parents often underestimate girls’ mathematical abilities beginning as early as preschool. They assume that girls must work harder to reach the same level as boys. The historical status of women being restricted to working at home has maintained this perception that they would not thrive in STEM fields and therefore, women are often discouraged from pursuing careers in STEM. This also enforces a male-dominated culture in STEM. Since there are fewer women studying and working in STEM, these fields appear to uphold exclusive and male-dominated cultures that aren’t supportive of or appealing to women and minorities. As a result, few women actually enter the STEM field despite having a genuine interest in the subjects. Moreover, because there are limited examples of female scientists and engineers in books, media, and pop culture, girls have fewer role models than boys to encourage their interest in these fields. Without proper guidance or people to look up to, women are left feeling apprehensive about breaking gender norms which only maintains the vast underrepresentation of women in STEM.
Dismantling the large gender gap is pivotal to making progress both socially and scientifically. The gender gap in STEM fields reflects unjust conditions and poor treatment of women in these fields, and limits the quality of work and innovation. Since scientific advancement is based on unique ideas coming from various backgrounds, the underrepresentation of women in STEM creates biases in scientific work; narrowing the gender gap and diversifying STEM fields would help ensure that issues are being addressed from a variety of different perspectives, thus avoiding biases in these sectors. Giving women equal opportunities to pursue and succeed in STEM careers would even help close the gender wage gap and improve women’s economic stability all while maintaining a diverse and skilled STEM workforce.
In order to bridge the gender gap in STEM, it is imperative that the issue is handled at its root cause—gender roles. Women’s participation in STEM is heavily hindered by stereotypes and societal expectations so educators should address the disparities by making improvements to their practices. From a young age, women must be encouraged to pursue their interests, disregarding societal norms set in place. Women who take up STEM roles must also lead by example and serve as role models for those looking to pursue similar careers. Young women often have a hard time envisioning themselves in STEM fields but seeing women working in STEM would encourage them to pursue the careers of interest to them. It is up to society as a whole to change its attitudes, practices, and systems so that STEM classes and professions reflect the diversity in our communities. We must work to narrow the gender gap that has existed for far too long in STEM in order to see progress in this age of innovation.
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