LETTER: Gender divides in STEMM start earlier than you think

Chineme Jeanfrances Onukwughara, PhD Candidate, VCU Chemistry

Whenever we think of the gender gap in STEMM (science, technology, engineering, math and medicine), the adult woman often comes to mind. However, the seeds planting the disparity are often sown much younger than you might think, as early as pre-adolescence. 

According to the World Health Organization, adolescence for girls is typically between the ages of 10 and 19, the period where physical, psychological and behavioral changes occur. The phase is also the onset of puberty and is associated with drastic hormonal changes. 

An adolescent girl faces physical, cognitive, emotional and psychosocial changes capable of influencing their learning choices. 

Another significant aspect to puberty is menstruation in girls. Many struggle to manage their periods and often deal with extended severe cramps, lower back pain, nausea, headaches, fatigue and heavy flow, causing them to be absent from school and/or lose focus when present. 

Additionally, period poverty comprises of access to sustainable and affordable sanitary products across the globe. To what extent do these developmental struggles reshape the priorities and motivations of young girls in embracing science and technology? 

There are also social and cultural stigmas, as well as a lack-of or inadequate menstrual hygiene products and sanitation facilities — causing additional distress. 

Those experiences, even for adult women, are uncomfortable and exhaustive — making engagement in STEMM-related programs even harder. The mood swings, stress and frustrations that set in can also erode a girl’s enthusiasm and confidence, thereby affecting their ability to concentrate in science projects or hands-on experiments where prolonged focus and/or complex problem solving are required. However, the adolescent boy carries on without interruption.

Sadly, the “suffering” period is hardly discussed nor acknowledged by schools or workplaces, or considered too embarrassing or taboo to talk about by many girls and women. 

Conversely, adolescent boys gain the upper hand as they are deemed the “more stable personality” to dominate in a rigorous STEMM discipline, leaving girls relegated to supportive roles or less-critical tasks. The result is an unintentional tilt in classroom dynamics that begins to favor boys over girls from an early age. 

Those natural “penalties” limit young girls’ engagement, erode their cognitive confidence and downplay young girls as a lesser fit compared to their male counterparts. 

It creates a narrative that STEMM is inherently masculine — a stereotype unconsciously reinforced by educators who praise boys for technical skills while complimenting girls mostly on their behavior or effort. 

The International Day of the Girl Child, established by the United Nations, focuses attention on addressing the unique challenges girls face around the world, recognizing and promoting female empowerment and the fulfillment of their human rights. Movements like this encourage a conscientious reawakening to come together and foster an equitable and inclusive world for girls to thrive. 

Last year’s theme of “The girl I am, the change I lead: Girls on the frontlines of crisis” remains a call to action to better empower the young girls to stay healthy, educated and reach their full potential by addressing overlooked systemic barriers. 

The spotlight needs to shift from workplace-level gaps involving adult women to also include the early-stage factors — developmental, societal, mental and psychological influences — that quietly shape a girl long before she makes a professional entry into STEMM.