The stake of young girls who could potentially go into fields of technology is very unique. Their dependency on others’ advocating on their behalf is crucial in differentiating them from other stakeholders.
- Can you describe this stakeholder in 200-250 words? If they're an individual, vividly describe how they look, what they wear, how they move. Tell us how they sound, how they talk, what their mannerisms are. Conjure them in our mind's eye, by appealing to at least THREE of our FIVE senses. If the stakeholder is an institution or group, then describe the institution and how it appears in the world. How do people encounter this group or institution, digitally or physically? Describe their website or headquarters or something else that physically represents the group to the world at large.
Young girls with the potential of entering the field of technology are bombarded with stereotypical pressures of what it means to be a girl. Advertisements for toys are centered around caring for a child, makeup, clothes, baking, etc. Girls see nothing but pink while boys see demons to slay, houses to build, and puzzles to solve.
Every bit of information fed to them through the media guides them away from academia and towards the lifestyle of a housewife. Not that being a housewife is in anyway negative, but the lack of encouragement provided to these young girls as compared with the encouragement provided to young boys is startling.
Boys are encouraged to build, create, conquer, explore, etc. Legos and other action figure type toys provide them with possibilities not typically targeted at girls. Boys are encouraged to be loud, express themselves, engage in conflict. Girls are encouraged to be sweet, delicate, and kind. Due to this discrepancy in encouragement, boys are steered towards STEM fields while girls are steered in other directions.
But, these are just young girls. For many people, it is hard to see the impact of things so seemingly harmless as advertisements. There is increasing support at elementary and high school levels for girls interested in STEM but the encouragement truly necessary begins at a younger age. Inspiring those creative senses
- Can you identify THREE specific claims being made by this stakeholder? The claims should be public and about the specific story you're investigating. Provide direct quotes for three different claims or ideas made in public by this stakeholder. Each quote should be clearly hyperlinked to the original source.
Because of the limited ability of young girls to advocate for their own encouragement in STEM subjects, most of these quotes are of reporters interested in affecting change.
Jennifer Welsh describes the stereotypes placed on girls in “7 Things Keeping WOmen Out Of Science Careers”, “Even at the high school level, teachers and classmates sometimes stereotype girls who are interested in advanced physics and math.”
Roger Cheng says in “Women in tech: The numbers don’t add up”, “[Girls] also get fewer chances to explore subjects like mathematics or science, in part because of lack of encouragement, curricula that appeal more to boys than girls and a negative stereotype about girls' technical abilities.”
Amy Nguyen elaborates in “Why We Need Terrible Female Engineers”, “We put so much pressure on women to be brilliant, attractive, personable, successful, and everything in between.”
- Can you explain how valid these claims are? Objectively, how much weight do these claims carry? How credible are they? Be specific. Think about how poorly or successfully the stakeholder cites FACTS, plays on our EMOTIONS, or presents themself as a CREDIBLE actor in the debate.
These claims are based on the research of the authors of each article. They play mostly on the emotions of the reader as they talk about the disadvantage set for girls at such a young age. By citing facts that in and of themselves play on the reader’s emotions, the reader perceives the author as a credible source. Additionally, as a researcher, the consistency in the facts presented by each source suggests considerable credibility of the facts presented.
- Can you explain how these claims are similar and/or different to the other stakeholders? Be clear and precise - does this stakeholder have anything in common with others involved in the debate? Who do they have the least in common with? Why?The young girls who are at an influential state of development have a very unique stake in the involvement of women in tech fields. Because of their mostly limited ability to advocate for themselves, they depend on the dedication of other stakeholders. Unlike the men in technology fields, women in technology fields, persons in charge of hiring, users of technology, and producers of technology, young girls are very distanced from the controversy. However, they have the most in common with the women in technology fields who are struggling to maintain fair treatment and recognition.
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