Introduction to Men vs Women in the Sciences

The gender stereotype I'm going to exploring this semester is the concept of men and women in the sciences. I plan to break down the concept of science into its different aspects. Research scientists (physicists, biologists, etc.) and doctors are stereotypically presumed to be male. While other careers that deal with science (like nursing) are stereotypically presumed to be a career better fit for females. How has society determined that men should not be nurses and women should not be research scientists?

There are many stereotypes that abound when it comes to gender and science. Firstly, men are presumed to be better at science than women. Women are presumed not to have minds critical and objective enough to participate in scientific endeavors. It is widely known that women working in the sciences face many stereotypes. However, men face stereotypes when it comes to working in the sciences as well.

The media image that I have selected shows how men face gender stereotypes in science. Career choices like becoming a doctor are seen as primarily a male field. Doctors are the ones who make the tough decisions, who are very knowledgeable about medicine, and have critical, objective minds (all of these characteristics are usually stereotypically seen to be male). On the other hand, careers in nursing are seen as being a predominantly female field. Nurses are there to nurture and care for the sick (characteristics that women are stereotypically seen to have). Today, there are very few male nurses, and the few males that decide to become nurses face a harsh stereotype. Male nurses are stereotypically seen as less "manly" because they are the ones doing the caring and nurturing.

In this blog, I will use media examples, journal articles, and other sources of information to really get to the bottom of the issue at hand. Why has society adopted the belief that men have a better aptitude for science? And how can we break through these stereotypes so that science can be an accessible career choice for everyone?