The following article was intended for an op-ed…then I found out that it is too long for an op-ed…then I started getting requests to write more. So I said, “sure.” I am currently working on a collection of essays focusing on issues women face in STEM. Stay tuned, and I hope you enjoy the snippet of my new writing project.
Also, my one Sci-Fi writing project has multiplied into two projects. I sincerely hope the multiplication rate is slower than that of tribbles.
Growing up, I always knew I did not quite fit the mold. My childhood sports of choice were figure skating and soccer. I was allowed to take figure skating classes, but was told that “soccer is for boys.” In high school, I was complemented as a fearless risk-taker. While I am certain my teachers had good intentions, I did not think that overloading my schedule with advanced calculus, physics, and computer science classes –something I excelled in — constituted as a risky move.
I am an aerospace engineer, who happens to be a woman. Over the years, I started to take interest in the inherent gender stereotype that is prevalent in our culture, especially in STEM field. A 2016 report published by National Science Board shows that women’s share of bachelor degrees in STEM field such as biology, psychology, mathematics, physical sciences, and social sciences are above or around 40%. Meanwhile, two disciplines stand out with less than 20% of women graduating with bachelor degrees — computer science and engineering. Ashcraft, et al from National Center for Women & Information Technology have published a study on stereotypes, barriers and biases women face in technology field, and offers constructive solutions. Of the many topics discussed in the 70-page report, one resonates with me the most — gender stereotype.
When we encounter someone who do not conform to our view of gender, it is natural to feel like we are interacting with some unknown entity.
What is gender stereotype? No matter how gender-neutral we all strive to be, we all associate certain activities, genre, traits, etc. to a gender — male or female. Most of the time this is a product of the culture we grew up in. We are raised with some varying form and level of gender stereotype, some more severe than other. When we encounter someone who do not conform to our view of gender, it is natural to feel like we are interacting with some unknown entity. This feeling in itself is nothing to be ashamed of. It is how you act upon these feelings that matters. To obtain a diverse perspective, I spoke with several female engineers and scientists. While our backgrounds and specialties may differ, we all have one thing in common — we all work in a male-dominant field.
Leave your inner fashion police at home
The fashion comments women get at work is mind-boggling. No matter how you dress, there is always someone making comments. Yet, men rarely encounter such situation. There is more to the classic “male employee makes inappropriate comments on how a female colleague dresses” scenario. A female software engineer at Google and a female aerospace engineer at Boeing both received lengthy antiquated Fashion 101 lecture from another female employee. Unfortunately, their idea of Fashion 101 is not about color-coordinating or where to get a good deal on business attire. Instead, their idea is simple and backwards: women should wear skirts. Perhaps, that is their idea of “proper business attire.” Perhaps, that is how they were taught to dress. Perhaps, they have good intentions. Sadly, they could not be more wrong. By imposing their idea of social norm ONLY to women, they are also contributing to the cycle of gender stereotype. If the same standards are not imposed on men, there is no reason why women should have to conform to the unspoken dress code.
Do not confuse tokenism for diversity
To quote Ashcraft, et al, “tokenism occurs when only a few employees belong to a particular identity group (e.g., in terms of gender, race, age, sexual-orientation), and those individuals are singled out to represent or relate to that group.” An example of where tokenism is confused for diversity is when a female employee is promoted or chosen to lead a project group, not because of her qualifications but instead of her gender. In this situation, this employee is not ready for the role, and will face struggles that may ultimately lead to her leaving the field. The misuse of diversity is a common knowledge within institutions and corporations that “promotes” diversity. As a result, when a woman is actually chosen for her qualifications, every decision she makes is met with immense scrutiny, as others wrongfully assume that she was only chosen because she is a woman. Promoting diversity by including employees from various backgrounds is indeed valuable — only if those employees are truly qualified. Do not enforce diversity just to check off a race, ethnicity, or gender box. A female nuclear engineer expresses that “[w]e also need to support each other — I can’t tell you how many times I have seen women competing for the coveted ‘token female’ slot instead of working together to destroy the quota.”
Be an ally
To all of the women I spoke with, I asked this question:
There are lots of programs encouraging younger generation of women to pursue STEM. Can you think of areas in which we are not doing enough of?
The responses, different it may be, conveyed one message loud and clear: we made progress, but we have more work to do. More “flexible work options and schedules, not just for women, but for everyone, [in order] to make sure people don’t have to choose between career and family.” Making STEM courses such as computer science mandatory, not optional, for middle and high school, because “until then, boys will continue to be culturally and socially encouraged to pursue these optional programs and girls will be discouraged, and it will be hard to remedy.” Last but not the least: the need to “teach [young women] about the adversity that is present in the work force…[and young] men to recognize the silent challenges that their female [colleagues] may be dealing with.” Having this honest conversation is crucial in raising awareness in younger generation, so the culture itself can be changed for the better.
Subtle discrimination is just as damaging as overt discrimination. Subtle discrimination sows the seeds of self-doubt and isolation. We need more allies. Being an ally can start from making small changes in our behavior, such as recognizing and respecting the difference in communication style. A stereotypical “male” speech (e.g. loud, assertive, dominating the room) is not always the most constructive way to communicate. If an action by a colleague of opposite gender annoys you, first think whether you would find the same action annoying if it came from a colleague of same gender. Gentlemen, when approached by a female colleague on the subtle discrimination they are facing, first affirm and acknowledge their experience. Give advice that is independent of gender, and focus on how to solve the problem or achieve a goal. Do not focus on how she should change her behavior, mannerism, or personality. Help her strategize, and try to offer constructive advice. Change only comes from taking action, and every action, no matter how small, counts.