Exit Slip: Female Representation in Mathematics

October 21, 2021

    We spoke about the lack of representation of women in mathematics and science today, but I do want to acknowledge the progress that has been made for women in general over the years.  This might be small to some, but I feel really grateful and privileged that we, as a class of women and men, can discuss these ideas openly and respectfully with each other.  I also want to acknowledge that I'm speaking as a Southeast Asian Canadian woman and that my experiences and perspectives derive from the fact that I live in Canada and was born in a generation where women have been treated with more respect.  However, I do still feel the weight of being a woman everyday.  I don't always feel safe walking alone--day or night.  I don't always feel like my voice is heard when I'm speaking to a group of men.  I think this goes into the ideas discussed in class where women and men have been socialized in a certain way and to the point where society's discounted the abilities of half of the world's population.  I'm not entirely sure if there is a huge wage gap between women and men within math- and science- intensive fields, but these wage gaps do still exist in many other sectors like media and politics.  I wonder if this is why women are under-represented in mathematics and science.