Social Consequence: Perception of a Woman in Tech

source: scotscoop.com        

Women are the weaker sex

Firstly, it’s a known fact that Women are the bedrock of the society.  Women are success enthusiast with great accomplishments yet to be, like their male counterparts they are energetic with incredible substance and positive influence. Women are problem solvers, setting a standard of excellence from the family unit of the society to the top social units of the society.

Why then are women restricted to some practical aspects of Technological practices? Or why is there always dwindle in the number of female engineering students and female engineers?

Some statements that have traveled through generations; in institutions we hear “it is meant for male students”; at work, we hear “it is a man’s job”. Females, until recent times have learnt to live with the mentality that “science and technology” courses are meant for Men, therefore, they take no interest in technological courses or jobs. Why should we ever categorize some particular courses or jobs for men while others for women? We need to look into this critically; this is obviously a gender issue, but why it has lasted this long is the problem.

We tend to find technological courses/jobs very tasking and impossible as females, especially a woman who has her family to take care of. Do you know what?  As females we find ourselves engaging in more strenuous work than this, so why can’t we engage ourselves in technology? This is because we just have that mentality that it is too difficult for us, it’s a man’s work and therefore we can’t do it and we then find ourselves not doing it.

Though we all know that females are quite fragile,even though research has proven otherwise over the years, but women should still be allowed the liberty and dignity to try or quit if need be. 

In Politics, if you want anything said, ask a man, but if you want anything done, ask a woman - Margaret Thatcher

Even if women are unable to engage in the most tasking activities which i strongly doubt is true,  they should not be denied access to technological inclusion. There are so many women out there who are making impact in top notch technological industries. Certain questions still lurk around areas of what the challenge really is? Why do women feel easily intimidated by their male counterparts? Do men really pose any threat to women's  technological inclusion? and lastly, is the world playing any positive role in correcting this age long pro-men technological sector?

As a female student who has the aspiration to study technology, build and change the world positively with the acquired technological knowledge and skills, passion to actualize such aspirations decreases and the beautiful vision for technology withers away each time their is an instance of gender superiority.

Women's dwindled interest in technology have enhanced the stereotype against women especially in technological schools. Quite a few lecturers and resource persons even help matters in this situation. 

Imagine a lecturer encouraging  female students with a straight face on to focus more on building a career in academic aspect of technology, without putting into consideration what they might want.

Lecturing is not a bad idea, but the idea that it is easier for a particular gender group is. The mere assumption that it is the aspect that best suit a group of people due to social consequences of the gender group they belong to is.

In most technological schools and industries, females are being excluded from the technological aspect of the work, only a few are involved or carried along in the fieldwork. there male counterparts however are being assigned problem solving task which could develop their analytical and technical skills while minor jobs like writing notes, easier projects, collecting equipment, taking stock or some secretarial jobs are being assigned to females. 

As a female engineering student, I had an internship opportunity sometimes ago  with a tech organization, but my hope was  dashed when i was deprived most of the time by my supervisors from going out for field work with the other male interns, this was obviously because of my gender. If I am being deprived of learning the engineering skills need, how do I fulfill my ambitions, how do i affect the world positively as aspired and what is the essence of studying Engineering if I can’t put it into practice.

There is a dire need for the technological sector  to start taking women seriously and also learn to give equal opportunities to all. Maybe that's the loopholes in some failed technological experiments, 

              "They just might need a woman to get the missing formulars...lol - Me"

when we all share equal knowledge of technology, i am sure we start seeing that censorship of instructions and efforts put into gender tasking could be put into better and profitable use.

This is my take ....I am Olusola Juliet, A 300 Level student of Electrical and Electronics Engineering. I believe in Women inclusion in all that concerns TECH. I am TECH!!!