28COLDHARDFACTS.THE REAL BARRIERS WEIGHING DOWN WOM N IN STEMM - ALL WOMEN(Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths, Medicine)

A Homeward Bound Project 2019

ONLY 10% OF SENIOR

LEADERS ARE WOMEN.

WOMEN ADVANCE MORE

SLOWLY, MEN ADVANCE QUICKLY

IN WOMEN DOMINATED

FIELDS.

WOMEN IN STEMM

STRUGGLE WITH SEXUAL

HARASSMENT.

WOMEN ADVANCE MORE

SLOWLY, MEN ADVANCE QUICKLY

IN WOMEN DOMINATED

FIELDS.

SHE TENDS TO BE IGNORED,

HE GETS LISTENED TO.

SUCCESSFULWOMEN ARE SEEN AS LESS

LIKEABLE.

WHEN YOU HEAR ‘CAN’T’

OFTEN ENOUGH, YOU BEGIN TO

BELIEVE.

TOGETHER, WOMEN CAN LEAD THE CHANGE.Homeward Bound is a global network of women in STEMM that aim to lead and influence decision-making as it shapes our planet.

In 2018 and 2019, women at Homeward Bound embarked on a mission to uncover the truth about diversity in the fields of science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM).

The result is this fact sheet of the top 28 facts. As these undeniable facts highlight: we have a long way to go to achieving equality.

THE EVIDENCE IS CLEARDiscrimination is real. Harassment happens. Bias shapes behaviour. Institutional racism exists. Intersectionality amplifies all the above. To achieve equality in STEMM, we must address misogyny alongside racism, homophobia and xenophobia.

Compiled from hundreds of publications, including scientific literature, international and national reports, this fact sheet will empower women at work and in leadership.

TAKE YOUR PLACEIt’s time to give women in STEMM a bigger voice. Share these facts with everyone you know. Shout it out loud. Be heard. Rally together. Pass it to your peers, your networks and social circles.

Because together, we CAN change the status quo.

28 FACTS IMPACTING WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP.

01

ONLY 10% OF SENIOR LEADERS ARE WOMEN.

Many employees think women are well represented in leadership when in reality they remain a minority. Nearly 50% of men think women are well represented in leadership in organisations. The fact? Only one in ten senior leaders is a woman. These unconscious biases makes men less committed to gender equality.1

THE BARRIERS FOR WOMEN ARE REAL

BEYOND TRAINING,

FEWER WOMEN

PROGRESS IN STEMM.

Even in fields like biology where women and men are equally

represented in training, fewer women are progressing to

later career stages.

02

Gender stereotypes and biased attitudes limit the education choices of women students and compromises the quality of their learning experience. Globally, only 35% of students in STEMM-related degrees are women and only 28% of today’s researchers are women.2

WHEN YOU HEAR ‘CAN’T’ OFTEN ENOUGH, YOU BEGIN TO BELIEVE.

IT’S TIME WE BROKE THE ICE.

IT’S TIME WE BROKE THE ICE.

HARROWING FACTS ON HARASSMENT.

71%

23%

of women in STEMM have experienced harassment.

It’s a shared reality.

of these women reported assaults against them,

often early in their career.3

03

MANY WOMEN IN STEMM STRUGGLE WITH SEXUAL HARASSMENT.

55% of women in senior leadership, 48% of lesbian women and 45% of women in technical fields report they’ve been sexually harassed. A common thread connects them: research found that women who don’t conform to traditional feminine expectations—by holding authority, not being heterosexual, or working in male-dominated fields are often the targets of sexual harassment.4

04

MEN ARE NOT MORE CAPABLE.

A review of over 400 published articles exploring the causes of women’s under-representation in STEMM concluded that research on sex differences in brain structure and hormones is inconclusive. Female and male brains are physically distinct, but how these differences translate remains unclear. We are more alike than we are different.5

05

SOCIETY MAKES A WOMAN HER HARSHEST CRITIC.

Women leaders are often held back by their toughest critic: themselves. This is not surprising given generations of social conditioning. Girls often hold themselves to a higher standard in subjects like maths, where boys are considered to excel. Because of this, girls are less likely to believe that they will succeed and, ultimately, less likely to pursue a STEMM career.6

06

WOMEN LEADERS OFTEN GET THE RISKIER ROLES. WHY?

A series of experimental studies suggest that women are more likely to be appointed to a leadership position when the position is risky and there is an increased risk of failure.7

Are women set up to fail, or are they considered to function better under crisis?

07

Researchers at Yale University used different genders on two identical job applications to explore bias in the job market. They found that regardless of selectors’ gender, most people evaluated “John” as significantly more competent and more hireable. Meanwhile “Jennifer” was offered a 12% lower salary and less mentorship.8

Does “Nevaeh” look less competent than “Jennifer”? We don’t know. This research has not even been attempted.

“JENNIFER” LOOKS LESS COMPETENT THAN “JOHN”.

08

SHE TENDS TO BEIGNORED WHILE HE IS LISTENED TO.

Daily slights, insults, and unconscious sexist actions are known as micro-aggressions. These are subtle forms of discrimination that are socially ingrained and unconscious. An example of this would be not listening to a woman’s idea but then responding to the same idea from a man, or not thinking to initiate a collaborative project with a woman.9

THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID. Micro-aggressions are experienced by all women.

EVEN IN FIELDS WHERE WOMEN

DOMINATE, WE’RE DISADVANTAGED

09

WOMEN ADVANCE MORE SLOWLY WHILE MEN IN WOMEN-DOMINATED FIELDS ADVANCE QUICKLY.

Women working in male-dominated careers generally suffer slow promotion rates whereas men working in women-dominated careers advance quickly. It’s what researchers call the glass escalator effect.10

WOMEN HAVE MOVED MOUNTAINS IN SCIENCE. YET WE REPRESENT ONLY 10% OF THE PEAK.

WOMEN HAVE MOVED MOUNTAINS IN SCIENCE. YET WE REPRESENT ONLY 10% OF THE PEAK.

10

WOMEN OF COLOUR HOLD THE FEWEST STEMM DEGREES.

Due to intersectionality of gender, race, and other social identities, fewer women of colour are studying and completing STEMM degrees. In 2014–2015, women of colour in the US earned a disproportionately lower number of Bachelor degrees.11

Black women: 2.9% Latinas: 3.6% Asian women: 4.8%

11

SUCCESSFUL WOMEN ARE SEEN AS LESS LIKEABLE.

People judge women to be less competent than men in ‘male’ jobs unless they are clearly successful. However, when a woman is clearly competent in a ‘masculine’ job, she is considered to be less likeable to men.12 Because both likability and competence are vital for success in the workplace, women in STEMM fields often find themselves in a double bind.

12

WOMEN WORK HARD BUT GET LESS RECOGNITION.

Between 2001 and 2014, women across 18 STEMM disciplines received far fewer awards than male counterparts. Women were significantly under-represented among recipients of scholarly and research awards, but over-represented in service and teaching.13

13

THE QUEEN BEE EFFECT HAS NO STING.

A recent study of 8.3 million organisations showed that Queen Bee syndrome—where women leaders treat other women poorly, either doesn’t exist or occurs minimally. In fact, women leaders in public organisations were more likely to employ women in top and middle management positions. And when men and women were treated equally, the Queen Bee effect was not present at all.14

14

DISCRIMINATION HAPPENS ACROSS CULTURES.

Women are assumed to feel and be more emotional than men. Not only is this NOT consistently true, women are penalised in the workplace for emotional expression.15 The double jeopardy hypothesis suggests that the backlash effects of expressing emotion are amplified for women in minority because they experience disadvantages from both sexism and racism.16

WOMEN AREN’T LESS COMPETENT: CULTURE CONDITIONS US TO THINK IT.

“Past studies indicate that people’s behaviour is shaped by unintended biases stemming from repeated exposure to cultural stereotypes that portray women as less competent.”17

15

WOMEN AREUNDER–REPRESENTEDIN PHYSICALSCIENCES.

Only 23% of engineering grads are women. While there has been a rise in the number of women completing doctoral degrees in areas like life sciences and social sciences, these gains have not been reflected in physical science or engineering degrees—with women making up only 23% of engineering degrees. For women of colour, the number is even smaller: less than 2% of physical sciences and engineering PhD degrees.18

16

THE PAY GAP IS AMPLIFIED BY INTERSECTIONAL INEQUITIES.

Non-white or non-Asian women are significantly more marginalised. The pay gap increases with age and even more dramatically for people with a disability. When we consider barriers for women in leadership, it needs to be cross-cultural and across all societal sectors.19

BIAS IS A FOUR LETTER WORD.

BIAS IS A FOUR LETTER WORD.

17

DOUBLE-BLIND PEER REVIEW HELPS REDUCE BIAS.

Double-blind reviewing of publications, where authors are not identifiable to reviewers has increased publication rates for women researchers. This suggests either women were given harsher treatment during review, or were less likely to submit when their gender could be identified at submission.20 As publication is a pathway to leadership, this is another area where women are held back.

18

CULTURE SHAPES MEN’S BEHAVIOUR TOWARDS WOMEN.

Gender stereotyping and workplace culture still remain key barriers to women progressing in STEMM professions. One survey found 39% of women felt less likely to be listened to when providing technical advice, 37% felt like they had to “become one of the boys” if they wanted to “fit into” their workplace and only 33% believed that clients respected the professional opinions of men and women equally.21

DON’T EXPECT BIG CHANGES UNTIL 30%One or two women in a team changes

nothing. To start making institutional effects on equality, women need to comprise at least

15–30% of a department, organisation or industry board.22

19

MANY WORKPLACE PRACTICES BIAS IN FAVOUR OF MEN.

Across the world, many workplace and social structures have deeply entrenched biases against women. Many of these organisational structures and work practices, like meeting times, family needs and even the number of toilets, were designed to fit men’s lives and situations at a time when women made up only a very small portion of the workforce.23

20

HAVING KIDS AFFECTS YOUR INCOME BUT SO DOES SIMPLY BEING A WOMAN.

Women who do not have children tend to earn more than women who do, but both groups still earn less than men. For example, women physician researchers earn less than their male counterparts, even after adjustments are made for other factors such as part-time work.24

SAME WORK, LESS PAY.Women earn almost 1/3 less than men within a year of completing a PhD in a science, technology, engineering or mathematics field.25

THE PAY GAP IS REAL.

THE PAY GAP IS REAL.

COLLABORATION AND INCLUSION

AREN’T AS VALUED BECAUSE ORGANISATIONS

FAVOUR HEROICS.

21

‘HEROICS’ ARE USUALLY VALUED MORE THAN WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP.

Research shows that organisations tend to ignore or undervalue the behind-the-scenes collaborative work that women tend to do. Things like building a team and avoiding a crisis. In contrast, organisations tend to reward so called ‘heroic’ work, which is most often done by men.26

In letters of recommendation for academic faculty positions, systemic differences occur. Letters for women are more likely to refer to compassion, teaching and effort as opposed to achievements, research and ability. The words used are different too. Women are described as kind, helpful sympathetic and warm, whereas men are confident, dominant, intellectual and ambitious.27

22

WOMEN STILL DO TWICE AS MUCH HOUSEWORK AS MEN.

Despite having more women in the workforce today, they still do the majority of the housework. Women’s domestic responsibilities exceed men’s by 2:1 and they don’t seem to be able to reduce this. In 2000, employed mothers spent as much time interacting with their children as mothers without a job in 1975 but many still perceive that they spend too little time.28

23

THE PLAYING FIELD ISN’T LEVEL FOR ALL WOMEN.

A Hong Kong study found that cultural differences in collectivism and individualism impact significantly on perceptions of organisational justice and gender equity. Even when we try and level the playing field, there are many subjective cultural differences that influence how we experience these attempts.29

24

MENTORS MEAN MORE WOMEN STUDY STEMM.

Mentoring is a positive tool that may help to overcome gender inequality in STEMM. Women in STEMM often feel less satisfied with their jobs compared to their male peers. This leads to higher turnover and a loss of talent in science and engineering.30

HELP CHANGE HER STEMM STORY.

25

YOU CAN’T BEWHAT YOU CAN’T SEE.

STEMM training is often developed and delivered through a western lens, with little recognition for diverse knowledge systems or inclusion of varied cultural contexts.31 This, coupled with a lack of indigenous mentorship from women, and the cultural isolation that comes with leaving homelands for opportunities, all decrease indigenous women’s participation in STEMM, in favour of conforming to community norms of family caring responsibilities.32

26

DISCRIMINATION IS GREATER FOR BLACK AND MINORITY ETHNIC AND LGBTQ+ WOMEN.

Women with additional marginalised identities can experience a double bind, or even a triple bind, as LGBTQ+ women and Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) individuals face even greater levels of discrimination. Discrimination by employers on the basis of someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity is still legal in 28 US states.33 In a study from the American Physical Society34, 25% of LGBTQ+ women described themselves as “uncomfortable” or “very uncomfortable” within their department or division.

27

INTERSECTIONALITY GAINS INSIGHT ONEXISTING DATA.

Work on STEMM equity data is better understood by including the intersectionality of race and gender. Previous retention in STEMM studies suggests that women leave STEMM jobs due to family-related reasons. Intersectionality research highlights that, depending on race and gender, attrition is due to different systemic issues relating to hiring, promoting, and working conditions.35

INTERSEC-TIONALITY.The systems that shape experiences are cumulative and cannot be separated. “For example, a black woman with a disability does not experience her engineering workplace only as a woman, black person, or person with a disability, but instead through her own unique interaction with the systems in which she is situated.” 35

28

WHEN WOMEN HELP WOMEN, WE’RE A POWERFUL FORCE.

Mentors play a positive role on women’s decisions to major in STEMM. Women mentors who were enthusiastic about STEMM, encouraged questions and treated their mentees with respect, had a positive influence on women’s decisions to choose STEMM majors.36

WE DIDN’T STARTTHE FIRE...Compiled with help from alumnae from the Homeward Bound 2, 3 and 4 cohorts.

We use the word womxn on the cover to acknowledge that gender is not binary and this document is for ALL who face bias in their workplace and lives.

Even as women make grounds in gender and pay parity in STEMM, there remain pervasive misogynistic attitudes and unconscious bias towards them. The Gender Fact Sheet was created to demonstrate the reality about being a woman in STEMM. The social identities of women impact in cumulative and significant as yet not fully documented ways.

To achieve equality in STEMM, we must address misogyny alongside racism, homophobia, and xenophobia. STEMM itself is intersectional and we will make progress when we work with, and not against, this fact.

The literature search for this publication was undertaken predominantly by Western women who recognise that it is limited in its ability to identify the challenges for non-western and non-white women, as well as women with other intersectional inequities. The authors of this work hope very much that more research will be done to better understand the unique challenges many women face in their day-to-day lives.

WE DIDN’T STARTTHE FIRE...

REFERENCES.Women Empowerment in STEMM Research.

Mother Nature Needs Her Daughters: A Homeward Bound Global Review and Fact Sheet Investigating Gender Inequality in STEMM. Research report. Sydney, NSW: Centre for Educational Research, Western Sydney University. doi: 10.26183/5d22d5fbe2349 (2019).

Visit genderfacts.org and homewardboundprojects.com.au

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MOTHER NATURE NEEDS HER DAUGHTERS.