Women in Engineering

One of the biggest controversial issues in Mechanical Engineering and Engineering in general is the debate over why there are so fewer women in Engineering than men. Most people already know that women are highly underrepresented in Engineering, or so people say. This seems to be an issue that comes up constantly even though it has nothing to do with any physical concept in engineering. I attempted to read a 200 page article on the matter, but was unsuccessful. Despite the many surveys done and the many theories about the issue, the article was unable to sway my own bias towards any other viewpoint on the matter. However, the article is thorough in explanation. One specific example that caught my eye was the one that explained a study done on 49 pre-schoolers. It showed that even at a young age, both genders exhibit stereotypical behaviors. “Boys tended to be more curious and domineering, while the girls displayed an aversion to arthropods and a compassion for other animals,” (Society of Women Engineers). Among many cultural and social factors beyond this point, this seems to be a key point in the issue. These behaviors are either preset or formed from early development.

The article that I read is great at laying out all of the studies and facts behind the matter (logos is highly used) and it is great at established credibility by using other academic articles and highly acclaimed institutional studies (ethos). The article is also formatted well and can be an easy read for someone interested in the matter. The article does fail to answer a question that I think is critical. Why do people care so much that there are not as many women in Engineering as men? As a male, people reading this post probably think I am the most ignorant and sexist man alive, but I feel this is a question that fails to get answered many times over. Diversity is important to bring new ideas to the plate and collaboration to the plate, however to bring diversity, we should be looking at different work experiences, the places people have been, and what different talents people bring to the plate. Sex and race is not part of this in my opinion. Why do we care so much about gender and race in today’s society? We are past the civil rights era, yet it feels like people still think we are in it. It seems that now-a-days, society has lost track of the idea that the job is about how well you can do the job and not about what color you are or what gender you are. Opportunities are now “equal” for everyone. There are no more Jim Crow laws, the scholarship options out there are endless, opportunity is grand, etc. If I was ever the CEO of a company, I would never ask about race and gender on my applications for employee prospects. It is absurd. These factors do not matter as long as the person can do the job. We see so many organizations out there that try to bring sexism and racism onto the plate and in my eyes, it seems like progress is being hindered when this happens. We should not be pressuring any one race or sex to be Engineers or any field, but leave the choice up to them. America is a country based on self-reliance and freedom, not sex and race.