The greatest mathematician and astronomer of her time, invented the astirable ship for navigation, devices for measuring density of fluids and breaking barriers between the gender gap in the science field, Hypatia of Alexandria was a woman ahead of her time. From 350-415 A.D, she broke gender inequalities by being the first woman to make substantial contributions to the developments of philosophy, astronomy, and mathematics. There were many limitations for women before the 20th century – that is, if they could pursue a career at all. You would think by the 21st century, women would be able to eliminate the inequities in the field of science and medicine. According to UNESCO, “there are less than 30% of women in the field of STEM.” Becker’s Hospital Review similarly states that “only 38% of women are accounted for in the medical field, while men take up the other 62%.” Despite advancements, women’s representation in the sciences is not where it should be.
This issue leads to bias when it comes to hiring or applying for a job in these fields since this “ancient” way of thinking is affecting the way individuals feel about the capabilities of women. In order for people to be considered for positions in these fields, they should not be evaluated for their gender, but rather their intelligence. The more women there are in these fields, the more people there are to make advancements, and therefore eliminate the massive gender gap currently present in our world today.
According to Catalyst, “the field of STEM and medicine is a male dominated field”. This means that there are fewer role models for young girls interested in these fields, which can limit their interests in them. The American Scientist states that “women are often discriminated against and don’t receive as much credit for their contributions.”
An example of this was a woman from the 1950’s named Rosalind Franklin. She originally discovered the structure of DNA, and later shared her research with men named Watson and Crick. After dying from cancer, they stole credit for her work, and ended up being awarded a Nobel Prize. No one gave her credit afterwards because it was “more likely for a man to discover such a thing.”
Unfortunately, there are many cases like this when women weren’t given credit simply because of their gender. It’s up to our generation to implement the need for equality of women in the science and medical fields in order to address the issue of gender disparity. The big question is what if more women were included in the STEM and medical field? Would more physicians mean a quicker cure for cancer? Would we be able to learn more about the complex nature of dark matter and energy if there were more scientists contributing to the studies? As we stand at the crossroads of advancements in our world, we have the opportunity to reshape the narrative surrounding women who want to pursue a career in the medical and science fields. Together we can pave the way towards a more equitable future where gender does not dictate a womens potential.
