How does fewer women choosing engineering equate to women facing barriers in schools?

Question

From the NOW website: "Women still face barriers in schools. In Washington, women receive only 12% of doctorates in engineering, and women are substantially under-represented in computer science nationwide.

Women are favored in K-12, more women go to college, more women graduate from college. Women are free to take what ever courses they wish and pursue what ever degree they wish. How is women choosing to go into some fields less, a barrier?

If women think it's important to have more women engineers, then why don't they take engineering course work? Why are feminists complaining about the choices women make?

Answer 1

Good point, unlike some of your respondents who whine about 'people looking down on them', girls in much of what westerners believe is 'sexist' Asia don't seem to have any problems with it. I travel widely and it's not uncommon to see female systems engineers , computer programmers, scientists, biologists etc, in China, Malaysia, Korea, Japan, Philippines, Viet Nam etc. In Russia, almost every other female I met was a doctor, an engineer or a computer programmer. Why is it that with so-called 'feministss' in the US it's whine, whine, whine, and more whining, . The fault must lie in the females themselves who look for an easy way out. You can't get a degree in the sciences by looking at spark notes. You have to know your material and you have to do experiments. While in the liberal arts, the grading is extremely subjective and flirting with the les profs can get you a good grade.

One more added benefit in other pats of the world, same-sex schools so both girls and boys can learn with others of their own gender. Makes for greater achievement. But then the US thinks they're so smart and know it all and don't look to the rest of the world for inspiration. Females prefer to whine, or make excuses for themselves or blame society when things don't go their way.

Answer 2

I was looked down upon and highly criticized for picking an Engineering course, and the subjects I choose beforehand to get on the course at University.



How could I, a woman, pick Computing, Electronics, Music Technology and Biology and succeed without having relations with the teachers? Yeah, I got that often.



Women aren't free to choose whatever course or degree they wish. They have to have the necessary qualifications, just like everyone else. For example, my qualifications wouldn't allow me to take a degree in French or English Literature.



People don't take me seriously, and I was worried that I'd be rejected from University/jobs for being a woman. I've worked in Studio, putting together mixing consoles - some people think twice about hiring me or question why someone did because I'm female. I've always proven them wrong, but it hurts nevertheless.



Boys appeared to be treated the same, if not better. Teachers were always chasing them about, encouraging them to do work, while we were left alone without help.

Answer 3

It's not because they don't want to, but being told over and over again that they won't succeed as well as men makes most women shy away from these fields. There is also a serious wage gap in these particular fields. Cultural biases and stereotypes are also another huge reason why women aren't rushing into these fields. But it should also be known that women are making some gains in these fields, as a lot of women and feminist organizations are making changes(like N.O.W. for example). Sexist men have been successful at keeping women out of these fields for a long time, but more women are showing bravery and will not be scared away any longer.

Answer 4

Ok Mr.CS. You know that 12% is far away from 50 %. And feminism is equality for women.

In other words, feminism is equality ONLY for women. So their claims are fully justified!



Men should get over it now and focus on their own life and career.



@ Sakura



Feminists are always right!



@ Lilith



You got sexist comments from men. But could anyone really stop you from pursuing engineering? Just because some men are sexist, does that call for affirmative action? Ask boys how they are treated at school.



This has been going on for at least 2 decades now. Three studies have come to the same conclusion.



http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/9963834/Girls-marked-up-in-lessons-to-reward-good-behaviour.html



http://www.thelocal.se/5073/20060930/



http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2001/aug/14/edinburghfestival2001.edinburghbookfestival2001



http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/eliminating-feminist-teacher-bias-erases-boys-falling-grades-study-finds/

Answer 5

Maybe they mean that women don't feel confident to go into those fields because they have been taught by society or something that they aren't good at math.