In
recent years, there has been a lot of attention drawn on the fact that women
are very underrepresented in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics) professions. Even the women that are a part of such a work force
are underpaid with respect to the males that usually have the same qualifications.
This gap has been narrowing for some time now. However, it is still far from
being equal.
Part of this fight for
equality has been trying to get more women into STEM fields and to create
interest in such fields by starting way before such careers. In the New York
Times article, “Opening a Gateway for Girls to Enter the Computer Field” by Claire
Miller, she discusses programs, such as Girls Who Code, have seen success in
getting girls to consider such careers as a possibility. Girls Who Code is a
recent program meant to try to close the gender gap between men and women in
the field of technology. They offer eight-week programs that teach girls
“software programming, public speaking, product development, and other skills
to prepare them for jobs in the technology industry.” This is one of many
groups – including Hackbright
Academy, Girl Develop It, Black Girls Code and Girls Teaching Girls to Code –
that are trying to create a more appealing image of computer science.
In Pink Brain, Blue Brain, Lise Elliot
acknowledges a similar discrepancy between men and women and attempts to
address possible causes. Ultimately, however, she believes that “they don’t add
up to anything as simple as innate ability; they involve differences in
interests, culture, and experience – all areas where parents and teachers can
be effective in encouraging more girls to pursue these important, satisfying
careers.” Through programs such as Girls Who Code, it’s trying to compensate
for the interests, culture, and experiences that are somehow preventing girls
from being interested in pursuing STEM careers.
Programs such as Girls
Who Code fits perfectly with some of the tips Elliot suggests in order to help
improve the chances of a girl sticking with science and math related fields
from adolescence and carrying it on through adulthood, especially when she
suggests teachers “teach about the importance of science and math in the
high-paying careers.” By bringing awareness to kids early on regarding the
economic realities and the essential advantages of a solid technical education
for opening more career prospects, along with developing the necessary
analytical and logical skills that are very highly regarded in any occupation.
While Girls Who Code
is still in its infancy, it is making great progress. It went from teaching 20
girls in New York in 2012 to now accepting 160 girls in San Francisco, Detroit,
and New York. They are also working on packaging its curriculum so that way
community organizations and schools can teach it as well, and thus spread the
message even further. Girls Who Code even hosts events for girls, such as the
one it held at Google’s New York office for over 200 girls, parents, and
teachers, where attendees were shown apps, future technologies Google is
working on, and some of Google’s famous perks.
Whether it’s Lise
Elliot in her book, or Girl Who Code, attention is being brought to the great
underrepresentation of women in STEM professions and productive work is being
done to remedy this gender inequality, showing promising results and a hopeful
change for the future.
Miller, Claire. "Opening a Gateway for Girls to Enter the Computer Field." DealBook Opening a Gateway for Girls to Enter the Computer Field Comments. N.p., 2 Apr. 2013. Web. 25 Feb. 2014.
http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2013/04/02/opening-a-gateway-for-girls-to-enter-the-computer-field/
Elliot, Lise. Pink Brain, Blue Brain. New York:
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, 2009. Print.
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