Want to See More Girls in STEM? Do Away with Gender Stereotypes
At the end of this academic year, graduates’ names will be called in alphabetical order as they waltz across a stage. They will shake hands with a university dean, move the tassel on their cap from one side to the other, and pose for their parents’ cameras.
For decades, graduation ceremonies have been carried out in relatively the same way. But one significant change has occurred. The proportion of women graduates now surpasses that of men. According to 2012 data, 58% of all post-secondary graduates are women.
Gender inequality in the world of work has been a well-deserved focal point of equality debates since second wave feminism’s rise to prominence over 50 years ago. While the pressure to provide women with equal pay for equal work has borne fruit in multiple industries, women still earn an average of 
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I never forgot when my aunt stood up and berated my mother in front of a table full of family and friends for allowing me to have, “one more piece of meat” during a holiday meal. Funnily, most kids can’t wait to sit at the ‘adult table.’ It’s a right of passage I suppose. But for me, being a kid with the adults simply meant more eyes, more potential pot shots under the guise of concern, tough love and reminders to sit up straight. Sure, the latter had health benefits I’d appreciate later in life but the rest? Body shaming. 
