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The Positive And Negative Representation Of STEM Women In Film

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Recommended: Women and the STEM fields

Inspired by a true story, “hidden figures” shines a positive light on Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson, brilliant African American women who played a vital role in the space race while working at NASA. The film revealed that these mathematicians belonged to a group called “computers” before computers were frequently used machines. The movie promotes a positive message about the gender and racial progression in the U.S STEM community. However, this story opens our eyes about an important topic: Why are women still being underrepresented in the STEM community more than 50 years later?

Let’s start from the beginning. Women often receive many signals form a young age that indirectly discourage them from entering STEM fields. Instead, we are told we should be nurses or teachers. For many women, the reasoning behind this is because we lack role models that are a part of the STEM community. Representation matters and the saying holds true that “if she can’t see it, she can’t be it”. In addition, the negative perception and stereotypes of STEM women being “geeky” and unattractive” have an impact. Frequent portrayal of in the media only reinforce this idea, brainwashing our girls to be self-conscious about their chosen paths. Even worse, it brainwashes our men into thinking that pretty women cannot be a part of this field. …show more content…

Believe it or not, as an attractive woman studying Information Technology, this is something I have experienced first-hand. Just the other, I was asked what I am studying. When I replied Information Technology, I was shocked by the response. “I’ve never seen a girl in IT that looks like you.” Those disgusting words were not the first stereotypical comment that a women in STEM has heard, and I’m sure it won’t be the last. Nevertheless, situations contribute to the lack of women in the STEM

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