At NC State University and universities across the world, the prominence of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields is evident, with women making significant strides in overcoming gender obstacles and claiming their place in these traditionally male-dominated areas. However, underneath the celebration of these accomplishments for women, lies a lesser-known reality: the inadvertent consequences for the women pursuing non-STEM majors. For those, like myself, studying humanities, social sciences, language, or education, navigating NC State’s campus culture predominantly filled with women, and men, excelling in STEM can evoke feelings of inadequacy and doubt about the significance of their chosen paths. This phenomenon creates a complicated relationship—a double-edged sword—where the empowerment of women in STEM inadvertently undermines the dreams and aspirations of those in non-STEM fields, reinforcing the idea that their majors are somehow less important. For this article, I’m going to talk about this complex dynamic. I’m going to shed light on the experiences of women who may feel like their academic efforts are undervalued in comparison to their counterparts in STEM.
In recent years there has been a surge of effort to encourage women in those STEM fields, which has meant an important increase of the representation of women in that field. Looking at statistics from universities all over the nation, they reflect this trend with a growing number of women enrolling in STEM majors and excelling in traditionally male-dominated fields. While this progress is undoubtedly admirable and representative of strides toward gender equality, it also shows a phenomenon of women in non-STEM majors being put down for their chosen major. As a result, women pursuing majors outside of STEM often find themselves in a campus environment where their chosen paths are perceived as inferior, continuing feelings of inadequacy and under recognition.
As a young woman it can feel like you’re picking an identity, instead of just a major. There’s a crazy amount of pressure for women in STEM to prove that they are as capable as their men counterparts. But as a woman in a non-STEM field, it’s a different pressure to lift up fellow women that are in STEM but still feel like we aren’t as good as them. Don’t get me wrong, breaking boundaries is awesome, but sometimes it feels like we are playing this never-ending game of proving ourselves. As a woman, you will always have to prove yourself, but I’ve never felt like I had to do it to fellow women until I got to college.
Part of that comparison we feel comes from the fact that there is an unsaid thought in everyone’s heads; non-STEM fields are significantly less important. It’s interesting, isn’t it? The spotlight always seems to shine brightest on STEM. They are pillars of education, but here’s the thing: we can’t overlook the quieter, yet equally significant, contributions of non-STEM fields. Explore literature, history, english, psychology, or sociology, and you’re not just absorbing information – you are using critical thinking, empathy, and an appreciation for diversity. Our future educators- they are the creators of future generations. Sure, their impact may not always be as concrete as a new tech gadget or scientific breakthrough, but it’s profound nonetheless. After all, it’s all about striking that balance and embracing knowledge from every angle.
We have to foster this campus culture that looks at knowledge from every angle. Our professors need to be having inclusive discussions and diverse perspectives. NC State needs to have support services and give all women the backup they need to succeed, no matter where they come from. But hey, it’s not all about the big stuff; it’s about those little moments too –women need to lift each other up. No more derogatory jokes about our majors, no more calling our work “cute”, and no more unappreciation for the majors I referenced before. We are all in this together. Lighting up women in STEM is amazing but it means virtually nothing if we have to push other women down to get there. So, what actions are you taking to continue the progression towards resolving this issue?