When Are You Guys Going to Get It?

LA Times ^ | February 13, 2005 | Deborah Blum

[neverdem]

GENDER STUDIES

In Victorian times, scientists argued that women's brains were too small to be fully human. On the intelligence scale, researchers recommended classifying human females with gorillas.

The great 19th century neuroanatomist Paul Broca didn't see the situation as quite so dire, but he warned his colleagues that women were not capable of being as smart as men, "a difference that we should not exaggerate, but which is nonetheless real."

The president of Harvard University suggested that a lack of "innate ability" might help explain why women couldn't keep up with men in fields like math and science … oh, wait, that one happened just last month.

Hold for a minute — OK — while I dig out my corset and bustle.

If that sounds snotty, I mean it to be.

I, for one, am ready to leave the 19th century behind. Harvard President Lawrence H. Summers can apologize all he wants, but the fact is that — from a position of power — he felt comfortable speculating about women's inadequate intelligence and ignoring years worth of science that proved him wrong.

I don't find that excusable. Period.

And I wonder why we women are so willing to tolerate this kind of behavior.

Summers raised the issue of women's lesser capabilities in an economic conference in Cambridge, Mass., in mid-January. And the most consistent response from women — the one still resonating across the country — is defensiveness.

A litany of female scholars quote studies proving that, yes, we girls can do long division, actually understand a chemical formula, comprehend a physical law or two and not only become professional scientists but do good work.

In fact, when allowed, women have done excellent science for decades, even since the corset-and-bustle days. The physicist Marie Curie won....

[Belasarius]

I don't know about pure male. I wouldn't think it was worse than 60/40 and wouldn't be surprised if it was pretty equal. We hire a lot of female programmers, mostly from India. I don't think they have the same approach to programming. All the really sh*t-hot programmers I have met were male, the framework we are using was all constructed by males with women filling in all the details. I don't think it was mentoring etc that did it. The men are all pretty driven individuals who really pound out code. Of course, they have their dark side also as I'm sure you know.

[Born to Conserve]

The GM requirements were "dumbed down" do get women in, so the chess blogs say.

No woman has ever been the world champion chess player. They had to make a special women only competition to get a woman world champion. Is there a men only championship?

The fact is that in many areas, the high extremes of the men are higher than the high extremes of the women. Men are simply more prone to extremes of talent and behavior. For example, nearly all the best serial killers have been men. (Funny, the women don't seem to try to steal that title).

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

"Is that some kinda math thing?"

It is, honey. Are ya single? Maybe I'll buy ya a Moose and explain it all to you over some Viking cheese sometime.... 8^)

[ValerieUSA]

Should they have gone to the bowling alley or the carnival? Where else to find someone suitable to support a family?

[Swordmaker]

I take this is the list of women professors of mathematics of all times. At least, the dozen or so names I recognize belong to this category. Don't you find this list pathetically short?

The list is the second item that comes up on a Google search for "women mathematicians".

Welcome to the web page for biographies of women in mathematics. These pages are part of an on-going project by students in mathematics classes at Agnes Scott College, in Atlanta, Georgia, to illustrate the numerous achievements of women in the field of mathematics. There are biographical essays or comments on most of the women mathematicians and some photos (which look best at more than 256 colors). Our goal is for this list to continue to expand, and for more biographies to be completed.

We also welcome contributions of biographical information or essays from those outside Agnes Scott College. If you are interested in contributing an essay, please send your contribution to Larry Riddle. Comments, suggestions, or corrections can also be sent to this address.

Too short? Absolutely... I can joke about it but there are reasons... MEN have been given credit for mathematics for centuries without having to hide their gender. Men were allowed to study and publish in mathematics again for centuries before women had equal opportunity... and finally, even given the opportunity, women have not entered the field in as great a number as men.

Are their "INNATE" reasons? I believe there are.

Swordmaker,
Proud father of a daughter who just graduated Summa Cum Laude from CSUS!

[xzins]

I think the lady writer is po'd.

I'd like to see a lady mathematician po'd.

[Born to Conserve]

True, but in a wrestling match, I'd win.

[Celtjew Libertarian]

The way I'm reading it, there is a separate "Woman's grand master" title. But Suan Polgar, etc., are grandmaster's on the male scale.

Nope, no woman has ever been the World Champion chess player -- but there haven't been that many total. And women are just getting started in serious competition. Check back in 100 years or so.

You do have a good point on the extremes tending to be male.... Although I live in the area that Aileen Wournous struck, so there are some female. So even there, there are exceptions.

[ShadowDancer]

ROTFL. I'm thinking the whole bowling thing might have been cheaper than a $40,000 dating expo.

[ValerieUSA]

How short-sighted of you.

[hinckley buzzard]

Deborah Blum is a Pulitzer Prize-winning science writer and the author of "Love at Goon Park: Harry Harlow and the Science of Affection."

We always hear from the feverish female "science writer," never from the female scientist. Wonder why.

Not that it matters, for Summers was right and this woman is wrong. Scientifc findings support him. Maybe if she were better at science herself she could have discovered that. Her performance sabotages her very thesis.

[k2blader]

Congrats to both of you!

[Swordmaker]

That men are not more intelligent than women. And Women are not more intelligent than men.

I think I would put it slightly differently...

Men are more intelligent than women. And Women are more intelligent than men. Just about different things.

[jla]

Hedy Lamarr

Beauty personified

[LarkNeelie]

And I wonder why we women are so willing to tolerate this kind of behavior.

Maybe it's just me, but I find the specter of rampant female genital mutilation, female slavery, female forced prostitution, females denied educations, females denied the right to feel the sun on their faces, females denied the most basic of human rights to be a tad more upsetting than a statement made as part of a 'food for thought' brainstorming session.

I would just like to know: Where were all these 'offended' women when the Taliban so cruelly imprisoned an entire nation of women?

Where are all the protests against the importation of Islam, which relegates the woman to subservience?

Where are all the 'offended women' that are NOT demonstrating in front of the Sudanese embassy against the plight of women under the care of the Sudanese government?

Where are all the 'offended' women that are NOT demonstrating in front of the Saudi embassy insisting on human rights for women in that backward society?

Is it that they're all too busy demonstrating in support of Ward Churchill and demonstrating against Summers?

Where the heck are people's priorities????

[Born to Conserve]

The Wournous chick is why I had to say "almost all". I think she may be the only one. Come to think of it, judging by the pictures I've seen of her, maybe all serial killers have been men.

[Celtjew Libertarian]

Ah, but that's physical, not mental.

OTOH, my wife can beat me arm-wrestling -- something I'm proud her for. I'm probably slightly below average strength for a guy, but I'm not that far down. Mind you, she used to be a body-builder, years before we met.

[LauraleeBraswell]

Fine, you and your friends can go to college to find a husband.

I'm going to be sick now.


What a waste of 90 thousand dollars.

[jla]

...and she was smart as a whip

[Plutarch]

How well must women perform before the question of our competence gets taken off the table?

If President Summers had a Chess Department to staff with faculty, he would be looking to have the best players. To find the best woman player, he would have to dip down to #199 on the World Chess Federation rankings before he got the highest ranked woman, the lovely Grand Master Susan Polgar , who is the the llth rated US Player.

Should President Summers staff Harvard's Chess Faculty with woman he would make for a decidedly mediocre Department. I guess that women aren’t all that great in chess at the highest levels has nothing to do with innate ability (please don't get angry with me, Ms. Blum) but simply abhorent discrimination, coming and going.