Need to Understand (Gender)

-   the importance of building relationships with people from different backgrounds, ages and opinions in helping to get tasks done

-   that each interaction is a learning opportunity.

Sometimes women feel the need to overcompensate, ie feel the need to be one of the ‘boys’. However,

“... femininity is powerful - you can be feminine and still be smart, sharp and successful…”

Kylie Parkyn as quoted by Sally Patten, 2024a 

The imposter syndrome is often at play:  females may try to be more masculine where male/macho types of leadership are favoured.

However, it is best if you can be authentic, ie be yourself. Ideally allow people to bring their true self to work and be the same person at work as they are at home.

Situation in sciences-based subjects and careers

Encouraging females to do traditionally male subjects at Australian schools, like STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) has been a successful as girl students now outnumber the boys. For example, girls outnumbered boys in the following STEM subjects (2021):

- Biological Sciences (65%)

- Natural and Physical Sciences (57%)

- Agricultural Environmental and related subjects (52%)

- Chemistry and Earth Sciences (51%)

- Mathematics (48%) 

(source: Cara Jenkin, 2024)

However, there still is an image problem as the subjects come with negative stereotypes, especially maths and computing, ie they are for ‘geeks/nerds’. There is a need for more positive female role models working in science-based careers. Since 2018

“...the number of Australian women employed in these areas has grown by 38% from 179,000 to 247,000 …”

Lisa Harvey- Smith as quoted by Cara Jenkin, 2024

Additional barriers to females entering these sciences-based careers include the wider workforce issues such as

“...gender pay gap, bullying and harassment, gender discrimination and juggling unpaid domestic and caring duties outside of work…”

Lisa Harvey- Smith as quoted by Cara Jenkin, 2024