By Jelena Villorente

“Knowledge is power,” is a statement of unambiguous belief in the authority of knowing — and in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), it is no different. 

Pursuers of this field crave to know, desire to quench their curiosity, and thirst for credit in honing groundbreaking discoveries. It is the same personal battle faced by every STEM student, professor, and researcher, yet so often, the hunger for competence and recognition turns this into a battle between colleagues — and the women pioneering this predominantly male-driven field are made the prime targets.

In plain sight, nothing in the words “Science,” “Technology,” “Engineering,” and “Mathematics,” in the context of basic vocabulary, ever refers to the incidence of masculinity. One must be in it to believe it, as the soil of patriarchy long ago germinated STEM into the male-dominated discipline it is today — starkly evident in the way many of us turn to male figures to fathom its fundamentals. 

From Albert Einstein and Sir Isaac Newton to Charles Darwin and William Faraday, the list goes on. These and many other men have contributed greatly to the field of science and its diverse facets, and even if people wanted to, their discoveries cannot merely be discredited on these unjust grounds. What is indisputable, however, is that this reality, alongside the issues that the majority of society has remained numb to, has perpetuated the notion that the field of STEM was never tailored for the female population.

This very actuality soon brought forth the “Women in STEM,” movement, existing in recognition of the underrepresented women in the field of STEM, most especially those who have made noteworthy contributions. The circulated “incapability” of women in STEM makes this movement so significant, as not only are these women deliberate in their pursuit of a male-dominated field, but they are especially unflagging in their work amidst the nagging expectations of society and incessant jabs of inequality.

Indeed, these issues have been greatly subdued in comparison to historical accounts that have plagued women of olden eras even more often than today’s world probably would. Yet, what is still baffling is that this societal oppression still lurks between the crevices of propagated conventions, often subtle in its assault. This hints greatly at the inextricable patriarchal impact that has tainted societal norms up to this day — ultimately undermining the potential of the many women who seek to thrive in the very field of STEM.

Thus, one cannot help but question: Is STEM secretly an abbreviation for “Stratified, Tyrannical, and Endangered by Men?” In this sense, “Knowledge is power” no longer rings true — but “Gender is power” certainly does.

Disparity in the Academe

Looking back in retrospect at the history that molded the world of STEM, objectively, women do make up quite a portion of these feats. Internet archives and search engines are likely to have you stumble across names such as radioactivity pioneer Maria Skłodowska-Curie, chemist and DNA discoverer Rosalind Franklin, trailblazing computer programmer Ada Lovelace, and NASA employee mathematician Katherine Johnson, among others. 

It is indisputable that their contributions to STEM are profound and deserve recognition, however, what is even more remarkable for these women is the perseverance they possessed beyond capability in their craft. Transcending their academic stints, they endured the societal oppression that has knived them throughout their pursuits — especially within the epochs that placed stakes higher for gender norms.

Today, only websites and journals serve as the most accessible remnants of their female narratives as trailblazing women of STEM, alongside many others unmentioned, and in light of these untold stories, it is clear that there was the added burden that plagued these women in tireless pursuit of their STEM-centric passions. Skłodowska-Curie couldn’t attend the university her brother went to because she was a woman. Franklin’s discovery of photo 51, an image that redefined genetic science at the time, was instead credited to her male colleagues. Lovelace’s work went greatly unacknowledged in her lifetime. Johnson suffered not only stereotypes of her gender but those of her race as well. With these women having to go through even more challenges before being rightfully recognized, what more for the women who go unmentioned?

While these challenges did not ultimately impede these women and others from receiving the recognition they deserved, these made it significantly more difficult for them to grasp their accomplishments. Sometimes, the contributions of women would even go undiscovered until only after their proponents passed. We could only imagine what life could have been for these forsaken females if they had been duly acknowledged while they were still alive — had they been free from the gender discrimination and societal norms that bound and limited them?

Truly, these very issues gravitate towards the polarized, black-and-white gender norms of society, most especially in eras wherein these burdens were not as subdued as they are in the contemporary period. Sexism was the very cornerstone upon which women’s underrepresentation in the field of STEM was bolstered, and in reality, this issue penetrates deeper than mere academia. 

In the multifaceted nature of dynamic society, women are reduced to being deemed as anything other than intelligent, capable, and on par with men across all worldly affairs — and in the essence of this long-established issue, its root causes still spark discourse among experts to this day.

Of Sexism and Stereotypes

To fathom a reality such as this, one must be able to wander deeper into society’s systemic roots. Sexism, according to the European Institute for Gender Equality, can be defined by hierarchical prejudices and assumptions against a specific gender and their roles, that eventually lead to ranked stratification in gender. This can bleed into every imaginable facet of society, and in the context of STEM, sexist notions paint women as incompetent, expecting them to be inclined to more “feminine” fields. 

According to Segregation, Stereotypes, and STEM by Thébaud and Charles (2018), this reality of stratification may be corroborated by the “statistical discrimination” theory as proposed by Phelps (1972), which upholds the idea that employers discriminate against groups whose members are believed to be less productive and advantageous in the maximization of profit. This is analogous to the fact that women are frequently mistreated in the STEM workforce due to the majority’s exposure to glaring stereotypes — and just as history has told, women are also less likely to be accredited for their work in the STEM field than men are. This plaguing reality sometimes even leads women to stop pursuing STEM as a whole, only underscoring the underrepresentation of women in this very field.

Essentially, the amalgamation of these very circumstances is a culture of ongoing division. In this sense, STEM becomes a bastion of gender disparity for women, propagating a stereotype threat that discourages femme figures from taking a chance with the sciences due to its predominantly male nature.

In the contemporary context, things have certainly evolved and developed, with issues becoming subdued and dynamicity being embraced little by little. While this is true, however, even though we’ve started to move on past the stark decries of gender expectations, society still has a way of subtly integrating these stereotypes beneath ambiguous crevices — and in the STEM-centric sphere, women continue to be questioned for their competence. 

In the perspective of Ayezza Andronica Faith Prado, the current STEM Chairperson of the Ateneo de Manila Senior High School (ASHS), she is undoubtedly glad to see this issue subsiding over time. According to her, “While STEM is still predominantly male, we can see that the male-to-female ratio among STEM students within the ASHS is almost 1:1. Of course, none of this progress would have been possible without the women who paved the way, opening opportunities for us.”

As this issue continues to relent, Prado is thankful to have never experienced any gender discrimination as the STEM Chairperson, although, she is still cognizant of the fact that women in positions akin to hers are frequently discredited for their efforts — and through this, she was only motivated. “I’ve learned that disciplining and leading others doesn’t always equate to being harsh or unkind; it’s about setting limits and boundaries to make our work more efficient,” Prado said. “This has also made me realize there are no ‘feminine’ or ‘masculine’ traits in leadership, everyone has their unique leadership style.” 

In the end, this omnipresent issue all truly boils down to providing uplifting support, especially amongst girls at the grassroots level. As STEM-centric sexism continues to subdue, what must be amplified in return is the voice of empowerment — a voice that women steadfastly fought for ever since the very beginning. 

Unflagging Empowerment

Amidst all the turmoil, struggle, and prejudice, one lingering question is begged — why must one be discriminated against for merely choosing to follow their passions? 

Whether or not this has lingered in the minds of women who have undergone all the unnecessary oppression in the name of pursuing academia is debatable, but it nevertheless encapsulates what predicament so many females in STEM push through in the midst of honing their craft. 

The contentious issues that have stigmatized women in STEM for so long in history have admittedly tamed down, but these often find a way to abscond — seeping through remarks and preconceived notions of stereotypes that continue to echo from the past. The impacts of these subtle assaults remain esoteric in their nature, only truly felt by the women who have tirelessly fought for their place in STEM — in society. And whether the ink of history has dried or continues to bleed to the present is up to the contemporary world to decide and act upon.

What becomes of this gender-centric discourse, in ultimate, must be the notion that STEM was never gender-exclusive. It was injustice that made it seem like it was — and among all the women who aspire to become trailblazers in scientific contributions, the struggle may only be unequivocally apparent for those who found it wiser to speak out in light of their struggle.

The Women in STEM movement transcends equality in scientific academia — it is a motion of empowerment that upholds the potential and capability of women, steadfast in its pursuit of recognition in a system that seems to go against the mere cultivation of knowledge. 

“A big part of my vision within the strand is to create a safe and supportive community for the students by strengthening bonds between class officers and their classmates,” Prado remarked. “We aim to support women within the strand by helping them enhance their abilities in various STEM disciplines and showing that they have a rightful place in these fields. They can be whatever they aspire to be, and as a strand council, we are here to support them,” she added.

“With the upcoming mid-term elections, I believe it is important that we, not only as women but as members of the community, make informed choices in electing the next leaders of our country,” Prado added. “Let’s take the time to research thoroughly and ensure that the candidates we elect are committed to providing a platform for women and using their positions to support women’s rights and amplify their voices.”

In essence, the passion of curiosity and discovery is not something to be gatekept out of mere stereotypical, hierarchical, and stratified belief. Academia is nothing less than a welcoming scene — and no less for the women who wish to be a part of something greater than the way they are perceived.