SEXISM FACED BY WOMEN IN STEM

Author : Aarna Sachdev and Anushka Agarwal

Women who pursue STEM careers still face many obstacles today as they did in the past. Women had no chance of acquiring the knowledge and skills necessary to land a job of any significance, let alone a career in STEM, without access to higher education. According to some, this exclusion of women from STEM-related fields starts at a young age because gender stereotypes are ingrained in children. According to a study published in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology, girls were twice as likely to draw men than women when asked to draw a mathematician or scientist, while boys almost exclusively drew men.

Visualize this. Since Marie Curie in 1903, only 17 women have been awarded the Nobel Prize in physics, chemistry, or medicine, compared to 572 men. The stark reality is that there are very few women working in STEM fields.

Only 28% of STEM jobs are held by women, and men outnumber women in most STEM college majors. In some of the future professions that will grow the fastest and pay the highest wages, such as computer science and engineering, there are disproportionately large gender gaps.

Due to the way that men in the organisation perceive them, women may also suffer from social isolation. Stereotypes about women’s gender serve as filters for perceptions of specific women. For instance, women are stereotyped as being less intelligent and skilled in science and math than men.

The notion that women are denigrated for the same traits that men find admirable is not new. The misogynistic bullying that women experience in the educational system contributes to the lack of women entering scientific fields. Shaming women for their intelligence or interest in science is what started this under confidence-inspiring culture.

The Maternal Wall bias is another type of sexism faced by women. It is the result of the idea that after having children, women become less capable and dedicated to working. Parental leave, according to nearly two-thirds of scientists with children, affected how their colleagues perceived their dedication to their jobs. Interestingly, women scientists without children report being expected to work longer hours to make up for work that is not being done by co-workers who are on maternity leave. They also report being impacted by their co-workers’ views on motherhood and parenting.

Another factor is sexual harassment which is still a serious issue, especially for women working in STEM fields where men predominate. In addition to limiting the scientific and technological contributions of women who work in STEM fields, sexual harassment also discourages other talented and accomplished women from pursuing STEM careers and discourages young women from entering the field out of concern that they, too, will experience sexual harassment and/or assault.

The sexist and gender-biased culture of the Indian higher education system must be changed. The entire society must become aware of feminist issues, starting with families, teachers, and peers. To recognise the achievements of women in STEM every year, confers the SERB women excellence award, recognizing young women fellows and achievers of National Science Academies. Similarly, the National Women Bio scientists Award acknowledges the contributions of senior and young women scientists in biology and biotechnology. In 2020, Smriti Zubin Irani, the Minister for Women and Child Development, announced the establishment of 11 chairs in the names of Indian Women Scientists at Institutes across the country to honor their achievements and inspire young girls and women. The success of women in STEM is constantly shattering gender norms in a male-dominated industry. Indian women with iconic status include Uma Ramakrishna, Aparajita Dutta, and Anamika Aiyadurai. More people should be aware of the inspiring Indian women who work in STEM.