The Path of Self-Discovery: Navigating Life's Complexities

Part 7 : Women's Rights and the STEM Gap

As a proponent of gender equality, I strongly advocate on behalf of both men and women, and the expectation of fairness and equal treatment for both genders in all aspects of life. While I was aware of the challenges that women face in achieving equality and representation, recent reports from global organizations including Plan International, examining women's opportunities in predominantly male-dominated careers, such as the engineering industry, life sciences, computing sciences and mathematics (the STEM sectors) and it has been said that 20-30% of women are represented in STEM careers in Scandinavia, Canada and other developed countries known for their progressive outlook on women's opportunities. This information has led me to examine the history of women's rights and the steps taken by women to ensure equal opportunities and entitlements. This was an eye-opener for me, I was unaware (fully) of the history of women's rights and how women have fought for their rights and freedoms.

It is important to note that the Industrial Revolution of the late 18th and early 19th centuries greatly influenced the struggle for women's employment (employment). The Industrial Revolution enabled the employment of women as many women began taking jobs (employment) in factories. The Industrial Revolution was a pivotal point in women's employment and marked what would be a long and difficult path toward gender equality.

Wealthy factory owners were interested in making money and they wanted to tap into the labor pool of women who were previously excluded from the labor force. Similarly, during World War II when men left the workplace, there was an influx of women into the labor force that put many women in a position where they were able to keep working at the end of the war, thereby progressing the status of women in the labor force and workplace, and eventually gender equality.

The right to include women as workers and rights for women were used by wealthy people as ways to enhance profits and wealth.

I do not currently understand, but with the research I have done, it seems to always lead to the same conclusion and that is that everything we do is presented in the interest of wealth and those that control the system. I feel like I have come to the conclusion that we are indeed different and that there are men's strengths and there are women's strengths. Statistical data, as well as scientific data on hormones, support this.

The topic of differences in gender has been a matter of a great deal of study and discussion for many years. Everybody recognizes there are physical differences between men and women. In general, I believe men and women possess unique physical traits which differentiate them from one another. These physical characteristics are usually complex and made of some combination of muscle mass, bone density, and body composition. For instance, men generally have more muscle mass and bone density, which contributed to the strength one typically thinks of when describing male men. In contrast, women generally have an acute sense of smell and can smell many of the faintest scents there are. Women have also been shown to be very good at multitasking and often multitask well at what appears to be the same time. The differences in our abilities show the value each gender brings to our collectively unique and valued traits.

Research indicates male and female brain differences in cognitive strengths and weaknesses that can be effective in certain situations and undertakings. Generally, men are better fine-motor and and spatial sensitivity tasks, as they perceive objects in space and manipulate them with more ease and efficiency than women. This strength and skill can be useful for tasks that require spatial relationships or motor coordination, like building things, shooting things, craft and tool usage. For example, men may have an advantage to women when it comes to putting furniture together, playing video games, and driving. Women tend to have better verbal and empathic skills than men, giving them the ability to appropriately express and understand language and words with more depth and sensitivity. This skill is often valued in settings that require verbal and emotional intelligence in a position like: communications, education, or counseling. For example, women may have an advantage, compared to men, when writing essays, learning a new langauge, and giving advice.

However, men usually do better in math and engineering, which helps them solve complex problems and design new solutions. This talent is useful in activities which require complex logic and creativity, such as computing, inventing, and analyzing. Men may make more progress than women making apps, doing experiments or solving problems. While it is important to note that not everyone fits the above generalizations, and that all persons have their own strengths and weaknesses, it is true for most men and women.