Women and science education

“Two young, attractive blonde women are duscussing the latest discoveries in quantum physics and molecular biology. Suddenly one of them suggests changing the subject to haircuts, because a man is approaching.” This joke underscores a stereotype prevailing in society – that women have lower affinity for science than men.
I don’t intend to discuss this stereotype here, so let me assume for simplicity that it corresponds to the truth. Most stereotypes do, and this is why people stick to them. It is quite possible for women to be more suited for the subconscious, emotional reasoning known as intuition than for the more specific type of thinking needed to do or even understand science. When Oprah Winfrey pointed out to anti-science crusader Jenny McCarthy that the latter’s opinion about her son’s condition contradicted the current scientific consensus, McCarthy pointed to the boy and replied, “He is my science”. I have recently engaged in a similar discussion somewhere else in the WIP site, which inspired me to write this post.
It is far from obvious, however, whether we really have a choice about our attitude to science – for the simple reason that if a necessary job must be done and the most suitable people don’t agree to do it, then it goes to whoever else is here to take the burden. As mothers and grandmothers, we are the first people to whom children turn with science questions. Later children go to schools and universities that are slowly but steadily evolving into women-only institutions. Laura Clark says it all in the title of her MailOnline article “Goodbye, Mr Chips: Two out of three teachers are women as men shun the classroom”. The reason is clear – the chronic underpayment of teachers, who are regarded by society as low-rank servants and cheap babysitters. And once the payment and social status of a particular profession have fallen to the point where massive feminization occurs, the downfall continues in a vicious positive-feedback circle. As said my female friend who is secondary school teacher, “Once a profession is feminized, society will believe every libel against its members – that they are stupid, that they do no useful job, that they don’t deserve even the pennies they get; because society, including women, has very low opinion about women and so is keen to believe every evil nonsense, as long as it is said against women.”
So, girls, if we value the science and technology and don’t want to return back to basics (i.e. to the superstitions and epidemics of the Dark Ages), let’s roll up our sleeves – the job of teaching science is ours. And I think that responsibility belongs not only to professional teachers but also to the numerous women with community-related jobs – nurses, aides, journalists, social workers etc., and also to all those who have children and youths in their families. So I think that every woman with such duties (i.e. every woman) should keep the ABC of science in her head and be able to answer immediately the most basic science-related questions, such as, Why sky is blue?
After all, women are disadvantaged also in spatial orientation skills yet they drive their cars in the entire Western world; and I am sure women would even make the bulk of professional drivers if driving was as underpaid as teaching is. So believe in yourself, take the driver seat and don’t be afraid!
(The author is university teacher of biology.)