Dana Feltham
March 27, 2017





Who am I?
Introduction
Key Themes and Outcomes
Ways Forward
Discussion and Questions




Thematic Literature Search
Research Question: Why have policies and
programs intended to increase gender equity
in STEM occupations met with limited
success?
Long-term advocacy/policy goal
Persistently low participation
◦ Proportion of women in scientific occupations
requiring a university education rose from 18% to
23% between 1991 and 2011
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
% Women 24% 23% 28% 20% 20%
21% 24% 18% 19% 20% 18% 22% 25%

Broad Structural Barriers






Gender politics
Family dynamics
Retention
Educational Structures
“Doing Gender”
Critical Mass


“Entrenched masculine culture” as the
dominant and determining factor
Three clear themes:
◦ gender equity is an accepted institutional
imperative with substantial efforts directed to
improve participation and retention
◦ Resistance, hostility and indifference among both
men and women
◦ Gender is regularly denied by both men and women
as a factor leading to the low representation of
women in STEM occupations




1987 article by Candace West and Don
H. Zimmerman
Gender is defined as a complex interaction of
social interaction, activity, and perception
Can be viewed as both a barrier and an
opportunity to fostering gender equity in the
workplace
Government of Canada Women in Science



Work activities are a set of gender expressive
behaviors and socially constructed responses
Gender is an emergent feature of social
situations
Study of Women’s Experiences on the
Hibernia Construction Project (1996)
◦ ideological factors and organizational structure





Gender as an anti-essentialist concept
gender as more than a set combination of
attributes
Binary definitions about women and men
Gender constructed by a set of behaviors
that are “multiple, fluid and relational”
Career choice is defined by a “emotions,
social and economic conditions, culture,
gender, social context and unexpected life
events”


Essentialist approach fails to consider gender
variability
Potential to highlight “weak signifiers”
◦ Pink hardhats as a symbol of success

Unintentional reinforcement of gender norms


Gender display and scheduled behavior
“Gender-differentiated” style of interaction
◦ Fraternal in nature
◦ Absent when women are involved
◦ Masculinity = competency


Double Bind
Gender equity as a problem “of and for
women”

“Leaky Pipeline”
◦ Women leave the field at a rate higher than men
◦ Women in STEM occupations rank people skills
higher than technical skills
◦ Size of the socio/cultural groups can influence
acceptance

Attrition negates any gains resulting from
recruitment


Career fit confidence
Messages of inequality can further discourage
women
◦ Focus on isolation and the lack of peers within the
industry

Inclusive practices
◦ Indicators of change
◦ “Rhetoric of intimidation”
◦ Taking advantage of policies can be career limiting



Link to gender performance
Need for material increase for true
management of gender equity
Are quotas a solution?
◦
◦
◦
◦
Board of Directors example
Distinction between hard law and soft law
Change in organizational dynamics
Value of participation at highest levels of the
organization



Current situation does not diminish value of
diversity planning and existing efforts
Strategy needed to identify and address
structural barriers
Broad effort required – Industry, educational
institutions and government