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orichalcum at 08:33am on 15/07/2008 under feminism
orichalcum at 08:33am on 15/07/2008 under feminismSo, there's an article on the NYTimes science page today by John Tierney, about the quite fascinating development that the government is considering applying Title IX pressure and sanctions to college math and science departments that discriminate against women. You might be interested in reading it.
What drove me up the wall about this article was a large number of things:
1. The picture illustrating it - because of course, what I think of when I think of a female math professor is a woman from the 1940s, primly dressed, scribbling with brown crayon all over some complicated equations (no doubt written by a Qualified Man.)
2. Tierney's sources, which include Susan Pinker and the American Enterprise Institute, but no substantial evidence from anyone showing that there might actually be, you know, discrimination.
3. The generally contemptuous tone and the impression left by the article that the real tragedy is forcing women to become scientists when really, they'd all be much happier being lawyers and humanities-types.
4. The characterization of the use of Title IX in sports as an Awful Terrible Development which has ruined the lives of 1000s of male athletes, without any sense or recognition of the enormous boon and effect that playing sports at every level has had for women.
What did other folk think?
What drove me up the wall about this article was a large number of things:
1. The picture illustrating it - because of course, what I think of when I think of a female math professor is a woman from the 1940s, primly dressed, scribbling with brown crayon all over some complicated equations (no doubt written by a Qualified Man.)
2. Tierney's sources, which include Susan Pinker and the American Enterprise Institute, but no substantial evidence from anyone showing that there might actually be, you know, discrimination.
3. The generally contemptuous tone and the impression left by the article that the real tragedy is forcing women to become scientists when really, they'd all be much happier being lawyers and humanities-types.
4. The characterization of the use of Title IX in sports as an Awful Terrible Development which has ruined the lives of 1000s of male athletes, without any sense or recognition of the enormous boon and effect that playing sports at every level has had for women.
What did other folk think?
irritated
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