This week’s topic is something that hits a little closer to home, a personal issue that I have started to see unfolding within my own life as a student here at Penn State. My major is Business Marketing, and I am in the Business school here. And I have started to notice the way I am being treated by some of my male peers.

In recent years, there has been a strong push for women and girls to become more involved and interested in STEM professions: science, technology, engineering, and math. Various initiatives have been created in order to help achieve this goal, with various programs such as Girls Who Code, and various scholarships and grants set up in order to incentivize women.

Business does not technically fall within this area, as it is not considered a hard science. The percentage of women that pursue business related positions is in fact higher than those in hard science paths, yes. However, I have noticed that the treatment of girls and women within business classes has shown the discrimination held by many of my male peers.

Within my classes, I have noticed that I am automatically not looked to for ideas or solutions within group work. My male counterparts are more dominant, and make sure that their voice is heard over everyone else. This aggression is genetic, I suppose, but also troubling. I have had to raise my voice over and over just to be heard, and deal with the surprised looks of my peers when I offer a working solution. Often times, many of my male peers are wrong in their beliefs, and yet unwilling to accept the opinion of me or any other female students. I am looked to as inferior by many.

I do not want to stereotype all men, or give off the notion that everyone of the men in my classes or in business fields act like this towards women. That is not my intention. And perhaps I may be biased- I went to an all girls high school, where I constantly felt empowered and strong to participate and speak my mind. Maybe I am just not used to be overpowered. However, speaking with some other women in my major proves that I am not alone. These women also feel as though they often are overpowered and written off within this field of study, and want to make sure that they are making their way in the world.

This issue may be unsolvable, but I feel that it is important to talk about. I hope in my future classes I, and my other female peers, are able to treated as equals.