FEMININITY & STEM

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RIKI WILCHINSEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

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This PPT based on workshops presented to: :1. Some Background

2. Terms & Definitions

3. About Gender Norms

4. Femininity & STEM

5. Common Objections

6. Open Questions

TODAY’S PRESENTATION

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Biological Sex

Primary & secondary bodily characteristics (chromosomes, hormones, etc.)

Gender Identity

Inner sense of being female or male

Sexual Orientation

Attraction to members of one or more sexes

1. Terms & Definitions

6 DEGREES OF GENDER

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Gender Equity

Ensuring equal access to resources, power, opportunity

Gender Norms

Socially-constructed ideals, scripts, expectations for “doing” Boy and Girl

Gender Transformative

Programs that highlight and challenge rigid gender norms

1. Terms & Definitions

6 DEGREES OF GENDER

Geeta Rao Gupta

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GENDER TRANSFORMATIVE

Gender Equity AND Gender Norms

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We do great job on:

External Obstacles Chilly classroom climate

Masculine pedagogy

Lack of role models

Interpersonal Obstacles Negative parental or teacher attitudes

Stereotype threat

SOME BACKGROUND

We don’t do such a great job on:

Internal Obstacles Girls own belief & attitudes

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If internal beliefs not involved, why…

• STEM interest measurably decline grades 5-9

• By 8th grade ½ girls interested as boys

• Even among girls with good STEM grades who

liked in elementary school

SOME BACKGROUND

What happens around ages 8-14?

R 9

More Information

Training

Opportunity

Individual

Full Autonomy

Rational Decisions

2. About Gender2. Gender Norms

Beliefs

Attitudes

Practices

Social Context

Lack Full Agency

Ideals/Pressures

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GENDER NORMS ARE LEARNED

ESP DURING “GENDER INTENSIFICATION PERIOD”

Adolescence & Early Teens

Interest in traditional norms accelerates

Belief in them solidifies.

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HIGHLY REGULATED

MALEFEMALE

12Courtesy of Boondocks

GENDER NORMS TAKE PRACTICE

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IMPACT ENHANCED IN

LOW-INCOME ENVIRONMENTS

Codes may be

especially narrow

Strong peer pressure “on

the street”

Penalties for transgression

often particularly

harsh.

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• Deferential

• Dependent

• Desirable

What’s Missing?

Logical

Intellectual

Assertive

Independent

FEMININITY

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More likely to…

• Quit school early

• Have unplanned pregnancies

• Be victim of partner violence

• Have high levels of body dissatisfaction

• Have low self-efficacy and low self-worth

• Objectify or be out of touch with body

• Be depressed

• Develop eating disorders

FEMININE NORMS & BEHAVIOR

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A double-bind

Girls must choose …

Opt out of femininity…. or opt out of STEM

FEMININE NORMS & STEM

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• “Yes, but not in junior high!”

• Pretty classmate with long hair who “no one sees as a

pretty girl because she is so smart. She’s like a nerd.”

• That’s when we have to “dumb it down” for boys.

• “Girls focus more on ‘oh, he wants me to be pretty.’”

FEMININE AND GOOD AT STEM?

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Presented w/ data that 3rd grade girls stop doing well in STEM:

• “This is when girls start giving up on math.”

• “It’s when they start noticing boys.”

• “Girls focus more on ‘oh, he wants me to be pretty.’”

• “Girls start slacking on academics and worrying about looks.”

FEMININE NORMS & STEM

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SO IT’S ALL GENDER?

No, this are complex problems.

Next big drop on the effectiveness meter.

Because when you teach girls to

think critically about harmful

feminine norms you get better

outcomes than if you ignore them.

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Gender norms

are “central to

improving

both individual

and societal

R/H”

“Deconstructing

masculinity with

young men 13-19”

to eliminate

violence against

women and girls

Gender norms “key to

effective HIV prevention

for MSMs

The powerful

influence of

gender norms is a

foundation of

gender inequality.5. Research & Programs

STRONG PROGRAM BASE

6. Research & Program Base21

A GROWING RECONNECT

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EASY TO DO… AND EFFECTIVE

www.truechild.org23

Thank you!