Why aren't more women in male-dominated careers

[animikokala]

I'm wanting to see what people believe the most common reasons why more women don't join male-dominated careers for a research paper.

A.  Sexual Harassment discourages them.
B.  Discrimination (hiring/promotions "glass ceiling")
C.  Male-dominated Jobs lack flexibility
D.  Women lack the qualities to be successful
E.  More than one of the above (please state)
F.  Other (please state)

[charmaine56]

well, it is true men are stronger than woman.

but let them have a kidney stone and they cry.


there are woman truck drivers now. I have seen them since I have been on the road.

[dreamyxo]

IMHO discrimination is probably the biggest factor as to why. 

[Sunshine4372]

I think discrimintation is the biggest reason.  Women put in those kind of positions are made to prove themselves over and over again. Although I would love to see a man go through pregnancy and childbirth.

[quentinjones7778]

I concur however the East is far more chauvnist than the nations of the Western hemisphere.

[animikokala]

Thanks for the responses so far.  I need more and more lol

[sarabtrayior]

I think your first three are true:
A.  Sexual Harassment discourages them.
B.  Discrimination (hiring/promotions "glass ceiling")
C.  Male-dominated Jobs lack flexibility
However, what is true and always be true is the woman birth children and they may feel like raising a child is MORE important than having a career.

[lvstephanie]

I think D and C mostly with a little B.... I think part of it has to do with how our brains are wired. In general, women tend to be better at art, design, and social skills, whereas men are more logical and have an aptitude for math and science. I think this is why scientific fields and some business areas (esp. where math is involved) tend to be more male-dominated. Also in a high-paced world that runs 24/7, many jobs are not flexible to handle workers being off for a month or longer to deliver a baby or tend to family issues (eg baby-sit a sick child, pick-up child from school / day-care, etc.).... However I feel that the latter is becoming less of an issue with more women entering the workforce in general, thereby shifting the responsibility of raising the children to being more equal than in the past. I also think that there may be a slight discrimination due mostly for the previous issues I mentioned. If a job opening comes down to a 20-something year old man vs. woman of equal ability and qualifications, the man would probably edge out the woman just because there is a possibility that the woman will take maternity leave whereas the man would be less likely to take paternity leave. I do think, however, that discrimination due to a cronyism reason or for thinking that a woman is not capable of handling the job is becoming less and less common. When business beckons to the bottom line, the most qualified people are usually hired for the job, whether that person is male or female; black, white, or any other race. The customers and investors would not allow a less qualified person in a position without affecting the value they place on that business. This becomes esp. true as more of the younger generation becomes the hiring managers, where they have seen women in the workforce and don't automatically assume that a working woman is somehow inferior to her male counterpart. As one of the earlier posters noted, we are seeing more women in these male-dominated fields, and thus are less surprised when we do see them. I do also think outside of the US, Canada and Europe, there are cultural and religious issues that discriminate against women; sometimes these cultural / religious ideals continue even after emigrating to the US. It may not be the hiring managers that are discriminating against women for cultural reasons either; it may be that the parents don't think a "good Chinese woman" should work outside the house and so it may be pressures from within her family that is preventing a woman from trying to enter the workforce.