Sunshine and Light

Summers End

Summers stepped down as president of Harvard.

As a good feminist/engineering graduate, I know that should gratify my heart. But really I think this was a tempest in a tea cup. Hardly a victory for women everywhere. What Larry Summers said was that women aren't innately drawn to the sciences. God help him, one delicate flower said it almost made her faint. Nice going ma'am, way to break the stereotype.

But the reality is... how many little girls do you know who are craving a chemistry set? Based solely on my own experience, I don't know a lot of women who have the remotest interest in math or science. (It reminds me of a South Park episode where Wendy says "Mom, what's 6 x 8?" and her mom replies "Oh, honey, those are completely different numbers!") The women I do know who have gotten involved in math, science, and engineering are as good or better than their male peers, often because they've felt the weight of all of femininity on their shoulders. But what's at issue is general inclinations to math and science vs individual abilities to be involved in math and science. The fear is that a lack of women in the field will discourage those with the ability, and encourage the morons who think women can't do it. Should all women be kept out of the sciences or prevented from advancing, even if they're the right stuff? Of course not. But I don't think that's what Summers was saying. He was addressing the question of the number of women in sciences. And that number is considerably smaller than the number of men in science.

So, no, I don't think Larry Summers said women can't do it. I think he said something incredibly non-PC, and he's paid the price. But playing politics is part of education. I guess it was his turn to learn something.

posted by MyHusbandRules @ 4:40 PM