Post 2: Web Source
http://gender.stanford.edu/news/2014/why-does-john-get-stem-job-rather-jennifer
This article discusses and proves, through experimentation, the implicit discrimination that women pursuing STEM related fields face while attempting to jump start their career. Corinne Moss-Racusin created an experiment in which she created two resumes with the same qualifications and experiences. The only difference between the resumes was that one had a woman’s name at the top, and the other had a man’s name. She sent these resumes out to be reviewed by scientists for a lab position. The general result was the same; the scientists preferred to hire the resume with the man’s name, saw the women as less knowledgeable, and were willing to pay the woman $4,000 less per year than the man. Moss- Racusin eventually found that the scientists were oblivious to the fact that they were discriminating against women so she proposed a course to help decrease the implicit bias gender that scientist and instructors may have towards women. In decreasing the gender bias against women, more opportunities and a greater chance of success are opened to women in STEM fields.
I do agree there is a great gender bias present within the STEM fields and curriculum against women. Whether it is implicit or explicit, it is still there hindering the success of women pursuing STEM related fields. No matter how far women have come over the last few decades, we are constantly underestimated. Our achievements are overlooked, and there are multiple negative connotations about a woman’s success or how a woman becomes successful. Society constantly discriminates against women in education and work especially STEM related fields, and in the eyes of society women will never be equal to nor as good as men. We’ll never be able to make the same pay as them. In my view, all of this is okay. Women don’t have to be equal to nor as good as men because we have the ability to do so much more and earn so much more money than them. Even though there is a low representation of women in STEM fields currently, there’s an opportunity for women to excel in this field. It just takes the right drive and mind set to tell society, and those who are gender bias “Hell no, I won’t settle for less. Watch me work and thrive.”
The idea of having scientists take a gender bias course to help reduce their implicit discrimination towards women is great, and it does help to open more opportunities for women. Although, the fact of the matter is that not every scientist nor instructor will take a gender bias course to help women out in the STEM fields and curriculum. That method of taking a course reminds me of a student having a test, studying for that test, passing the test, and forgetting everything that he or she learned within the next few weeks. Taking a course will not take great impact in the long run because people will only remember and infiltrate their lessons when they truly care about the matter. A lot of people don’t care about the gender bias and discrimination women face in the STEM curriculum. Yes, the course is a great start, but I think there has to be a more productive way to fix this issue. Something more permanent, more structured.