---
title: "Women in science"
chunk: 21/25
source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_science"
category: "reference"
tags: "science, encyclopedia"
date_saved: "2026-05-05T03:51:28.816114+00:00"
instance: "kb-cron"
---

=== Underrepresentation of homosexual and bi women, and gender nonconformists in STEM ===
While there has been a push to encourage more women to participate in science, there is less outreach to lesbian, bi, or gender nonconforming women, and gender nonconforming people more broadly. Due to the lack of data and statistics of LGBTQ members involvement in the STEM field, it is unknown to what exact degree lesbian and bisexual women, gender non-conformers (transgender, nonbinary/agender, or anti-gender gender abolitionists who eschew the system altogether) are potentially even more repressed and underrepresented than their straight peers. But a general lack of out lesbian and bi women in STEM has been noted. Reasons for under-representation of same-sex attracted women and anyone gender nonconforming in STEM fields include lack of role models in K–12, the desire of some transgender girls and women to adopt traditional heteronormative gender roles as gender is a cultural performance and socially-determined subjective internal experience, employment discrimination, and the possibility of sexual harassment in the workplace. Historically, women who have accepted STEM research positions for the government or the military remained in the closet due to lack of federal protections or the fact that homosexual or gender nonconforming expression was criminalized in their country.  A notable example is Sally Ride, a physicist, the first American female astronaut, and a lesbian. Sally Ride chose not to reveal her sexuality until after her death in 2012; she purposefully revealed her sexual orientation in her obituary. She has been known as the first female (and youngest) American to enter space, as well as, starting her own company, Sally Ride Science, that encourages young girls to enter the STEM field. She chose to keep her sexuality to herself because she was familiar with "the male-dominated" NASA's anti-homosexual policies at the time of her space travel. Sally Ride's legacy continues as her company is still working to increase young girls and women's participation in the STEM fields.
In a nationwide study of LGBTQA employees in STEM fields in the United States, same-sex attracted and gender nonconforming women in engineering, earth sciences, and mathematics reported that they were less likely to be out in the workplace. In general, LGBTQA people in this survey reported that, when more female or feminine gender role-identified people worked in their labs, the more accepting and safe the work environment. In another study of over 30,000 LGBT employees in STEM-related federal agencies in the United States, queer women in these agencies reported feeling isolated in the workplace and having to work harder than their gender conforming male colleagues. This isolation and overachievement remained constant as they earned supervisory positions and worked their way up the ladder. Gender nonconforming people in physics, particularly those identified as trans women in physics programs and labs, felt the most isolated and perceived the most hostility.
Organizations such as Lesbians Who Tech, Out to Innovate, Out in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (OSTEM), Pride in STEM, and House of STEM provide networking and mentoring opportunities for lesbian girls and women and LGBT people interested in or currently working in STEM fields. These organizations also advocate for the rights of lesbian and bi women and gender nonconformists in STEM in education and the workplace.

== Reasons for disadvantages ==
Margaret Rossiter, an American historian of science, offered three concepts to explain the reasons behind the data in statistics and how these reasons disadvantaged women in the science industry. The first concept is hierarchical segregation. This is a well-known phenomenon in society, that the higher the level and rank of power and prestige, the smaller the population of females participating. The hierarchical differences point out that there are fewer women participating at higher levels of both academia and industry. Based on data collected in 1982, women earn 54 percent of all bachelor's degrees in the United States, with 50 percent of these in science. The source also indicated that this number increased almost every year. As of 2020, women were earning 57.3 percent of all bachelor's degrees, with 38.6 percent of these in a STEM field.
The second concept included in Rossiter's explanation of women in science is territorial segregation. The term refers to how female employment is often clustered in specific industries or categories in industries. Women stayed at home or took employment in feminine fields while men left the home to work. Although nearly half of the civilian work force is female, women still comprise the majority of low-paid jobs or jobs that society considered feminine. Statistics show that 60 percent of white professional women are nurses, daycare workers, or schoolteachers.
Researchers collected the data on many differences between women and men in science. Rossiter found that in 1966, thirty-eight percent of female scientists held master's degrees compared to twenty-six percent of male scientists; but large proportions of female scientists were in environmental and nonprofit organizations. During the late 1960s and 1970s, equal-rights legislation made the number of female scientists rise dramatically. The number of science degrees awarded to woman rose from seven percent in 1970 to twenty-four percent in 1985. In 1975 only 385 women received bachelor's degrees in engineering compared to 11,000 women in 1985. Elizabeth Finkel claims that even if the number of women participating in scientific fields increases, the opportunities are still limited. Another researcher, Harriet Zuckerman, claims that when woman and man have similar abilities for a job, the probability of the woman getting the job is lower. Finkel agrees, saying, "In general, while woman and men seem to be completing doctorate with similar credentials and experience, the opposition and rewards they find are not comparable. Women tend to be treated with less salary and status, many policy makers notice this phenomenon and try to rectify the unfair situation for women participating in scientific fields."