Understanding female STEM faculty experiences of subtle gender bias from microaggressions perspective

Abstract

Research has repeatedly discussed the lack of women in many Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. It has been suggested that the "chilly climate" feeling unwelcomed or discriminated-pushes women away from STEM fields. This leads to many women leave STEM fields at multiple stages, thus creating the "leaking pipeline" phenomenon. The experiences of women who remained and are established in STEM fields are under examined. This study used microaggressions theory to understand STEM women's experiences in academia. This study examined the degree to which women faculty in STEM disciplines experience subtle gender bias and whether such experiences differed based on their ranking, position track, age, and race/ethnicity. Participants were 57 women who were instructional, clinical, and/or research faculty in a broad range of STEM disciplines from a Midwestern land grant university. Subtle gender bias was measured by two instruments, which consisted of 29 items and asked the extent to which participants agreed with statements regarding gender-based microaggression events on a 7-point scale. The instruments included three aspects/factors of gendered microaggressions: (1) Sexual Objectification, (2) Silenced and Marginalized, and (3) Assumptions of Inferiority. Participants were asked to identify their position title, position track, age, and ethnicity. The scores on three aspects/factors of gendered microaggressions were calculated by averaging across items that loaded on each factor with the range of 1-7, with higher scores indicating higher frequency of the experience being asked. On Sexual Objectification, 25% of the participants who responded agreed they either experienced stereotypes of women or were objectified on their physical appearance. On Silenced and Marginalized, 40% of those who responded agreed they were either ignored in a professional setting or had been challenged regarding their authority. Similarly, on Assumptions of Inferiority, 25% of the participants who responded agreed they experienced being told women's work would be inferior to men's work or being told she was too assertive or sassy. Furthermore, our preliminary results suggested that women faculty differed in gendered microaggressions experiences based on their ranking, position track, age, and ethnicity. This study provided a greater understanding of how women faculty perceive and encounter gender-based microaggressions in various STEM fields. The results contribute to gender equity issues for the STEM disciplines where women are under-represented and under-valued.