women's issues

Although women make up around 60% of undergrads, and are close to a majority of students entering graduate programs, generally women in the United States are still a minority in top academic and professional positions. For example, only about 14% of school district superintendents are women even though the vast majority of educators are women. Worldwide, women are still not equal by any measure. There is still a gender discrepancy in pay issues. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women currently earn 76.5 cents to every dollar a man earns. Minority women earned even less, on average. In some careers, the glass ceiling is starting to have slight splintering at the edges, but it really hasn’t cracked yet wide open yet.

Women often view themselves as the nurturers and the caregivers of their families and their world. There are the risks of trying to be what everyone else wants you to be. In that process of trying to please the entire world, you can lose sight of yourself, your goals and the steps that it will take to get there. Staying true to yourself takes a tremendous amount of work. It is not easy work either, but the payoff of becoming this incredible person – you – is immense.

Serous dating relationships are often very tough for women in college. There are a lot of preconceived ideas about men and women in college. The keg party syndrome is still prevalent on some campuses. With that syndrome the attitude that women are less than equal partners is also still prevalent. You will need to be aware of the dangers and be strong enough within yourself to stay true to yourself. When you chose to date, make sure that that person is worthy of you. Don’t sell yourself short.

The future holds the possibility of a vast change in the economic landscape of America. As larger percentages of women push through college, then onto graduate and professional schools, and into the job market; more professions will begin to open up to women. But as young women you have to do your part also – become prepared as individuals and academically to meet the challenges and possibilities.

The Facts of Life

There are some basic facts that you will have to face:

· Women are not always welcomed in classrooms. Gender bias is alive and well in some classrooms or labs either by the professor or classmates, or both.

· Even though it is illegal, sexual harassment and discrimination does exist in some classrooms in some colleges as it does in some businesses and professions.

· If you have attended a high school that sheltered you, college may also offer somewhat of a culture shock.

Time Out -- Notice to Girls of All Ages!

Notice to Girls of All Ages!!
How can you prepare for the world outside of high school?

You have to take care of yourself. The older you are the easier it is to become involved in situations that may foster inappropriate life choices.

It’s not easy to be a girl in school and stay true to yourself. Sometimes the teachers don’t call on you as much as the boys. The formal term for this type of behavior is gender bias. Educators are working to correct this, but it still happens.

Another key attitude toward girls is very simply is that once most boys know how smart you are, they stop thinking of you as a girl. Most high school boys tend to be immature and girls who appear to think faster or better are a threat to their egos. Most boys outgrow this attitude by the time they are in their 20’s.

What a lot of girls do in response to both of the above attitudes is to dumb down. Girls who dumb down, choose not to take the top courses that they can manage. They tend to stay away from math and science. And to the outside world, they act pretty dumb.

This can cause problems for girls, because they are not being true to themselves. A lot of girls, in response to these attitudes, tend to mold themselves as they think everyone else wants them to be. The molding can range from what courses you take (or don’t take) to how skinny you are (or aren’t). The problems arise because somewhere hidden is the real girl and she keeps struggling to get out. This causes conflicts with the molded version of the girl. What are the symptoms? They can range anywhere from low self-esteem, dropping grades and depression to inappropriate life choices in the areas of drugs, alcohol and sex; bulimia and anorexia.

Attend conferences on women’s issues, if possible, while still in high school. These will help give you the tools to grow and be strong.

Enter academic contests.

If you are holding your own, keep at it. Seek out other girls who have true, strong self-images to become your buddies. You can be each other’s support network when the going gets tough. Form a mentoring relationship with an older student or teacher – let someone show you the way.

If you’re having trouble dealing with all of these struggles – and these are not only life-altering issues, these can be life-ending choices – please be honest with yourself. Then go ask for help. Go to your parents. Go to an older relative you trust. Go to your counselor or a favorite teacher. Go to someone at your church. The bottom line is – go get help before the choices hurt or kill you.

Time Out -- Science, Math & Technology

In the areas of science, math and technology, girls begin start stepping back in middle school – why?? It’s not cool and impacts boy-girl relationships.

According to the National Science Foundation, if women continue to enter the sciences at their present rate, it will take 550 years till women attain gender equity.

Science Fairs, science clubs etc. join science fraternities –learn the tools to negotiate for yourself in the academic and business world. Share your knowledge and your advise.

Enter academic contests.

Find a mentor in your field who can point out the danger points and lead the way for you. It is networking and the same type of thing that the “good old boy network” has done forever in American business and professions. Through these mentoring relationships you will learn how to compete.

All-Women Colleges

Female high school students have an additional option of college choice – the all-women college. The single-sex colleges the advantages of a supportive community, a nondiscriminatory atmosphere free of sexism and discrimination both in and out of the classroom, the opportunity to foster leadership, and to have greater access to and networking opportunities of role models and alumni. And you have almost automatic mentors in your field.

The Toolkit for Success

What types of things can you do to prepare yourself and to keep on track during your college career?

· Look for and give respect.

Always remember that all actions have consequences.

Always work on keeping up your grades.

Put them on your wall, in your desk drawer, or in a book
you often read.

Surround yourself by people who will be your
greatest cheerleaders.

· Stay away from those people who will deter you
from your goals and who do not believe you can achieve them.

· Be persistent!

Network with other women on campus.

Network with other women in your professional area.

·          Find a mentor who believes truly in you and your goals.
             Try to find an upperclassman and a professor to not only
              help you through the college years, but beyond.

Respect yourself and others.

Always remember that four years is a short time when
viewed in terms of your entire life.

· Learn and improve your time management skills. No matter
what you do in your life, you will need to juggle several “lives”
at once. College is the beginning of learning how to do that.

· Learn to say “No” when you are being asked to do too much.
No one is “Superwoman”. Learn to set limits for yourself.
You will be happier and healthier.

· Attend Saturday workshops either in curriculum interest areas
such sciences or engineering or women-oriented forums.

Safety Issues

Of any group on campus, women need to be very aware of safety issues.

Every 15 seconds in the U.S., a woman is beaten by a date, husband, or significant other. One in three women have been beaten, raped or somehow mistreated. Run away if you find yourself in an abusive relationship – always remember words can hurt. Someone who doesn’t hear “no” is someone who is trying to control you.

Don’t walk at night alone – ever. If you are at the library and it’s late, call campus security to get you back to your dorm. Be aware of your surroundings. Be aware of who is around you. It is of vital importance. Don’t enter a building through an entrance that is darkened at night. Try and stay in full view and in well lit areas.

· Know where the emergency phones are located on any path
you normally travel.

· Try not to be too predictable in your times and routes you take during your daily and weekly schedule.

· Keep your dorm room door closed and locked.

· Know the guy you invite to your room.

· Watch the amount of alcohol imbibed in a dating situation.

·          Don’t put your drink (soft drink, water, beer or
             something stronger) down at a party or at a bar. If you have any
             question that you haven’t had total control of that physical
             drink the entire time, ditch it and get a new one.

Two of the most common Date Rape Drugs at this time are Rohypnol and GHB. These are basically odorless and colorless drugs that incapacitate the victim and cause memory loss. In the wrong dosages, death can occur. If you think you have been victimized in this way – get help immediately. (According
to law enforcement experts, try not to urinate and bathe
before getting help. These steps will assist medical and
law enforcement experts in getting you help.)

· Let people know where you are going and who you will be with.
It’s not to be reporting in to someone, but a safety issue.

Take a self-defense class.

· Call campus security or the police any time you are unsure
about your safety.

· If it is late at night and not many people are around,
leave your bike locked and call for a ride back to your dorm.

College Bill Woes

Extra scholarships sources for women are:

American Association of University Women
(AAUW) Education Foundation

American Chemical Society

Business and Professional Women’s Foundation

FinAid

www.finaid.org/otheraid/female.phtml

Women in Defense HORIZONS Scholarship Foundation

For greater scholarships offerings, you might want to look into career paths that are not traditional for women.

The Internet

Center for Gender Equality

Chickclick www.chickclick.com

Girl Tech www.girltech.com

iVillage www.ivillage.com

Oxygen Network www.oxygen.com

For Women Who Do Too Much www.workman.com

COLLEGE CALL CHECKLIST

WOMEN

What is the percentage of:

Women on campus?

Female professors on campus?

Female professors in your major area of study?

Female college administrators?

Does your campus have a Women’s Studies curriculum?

What are the women-oriented organizations on campus?

What are the women-oriented professional organizations on campus?

Is there a women-to-woman mentoring program available?

Student?

Faculty?

What are the crime statistics over the past three years on campus and the near surrounding area?

What are the rape statistics over the past three years on campus and the near surrounding area?

Are there self-defense courses available?

What are they?

Who teaches them?

What are the violence prevention programs on campus?

What are the campus-wide awareness programs concerning violence and rape?

Is there a “Take Back The Night”-type group active on campus?

Return to College Countdown Home Page

© 2003 [Wildwood Country Press]. All rights reserved. Revised: September 12, 2003 .

© 2003 [Wildwood Country Press]. All rights reserved.
Revised: September 12, 2003 .