Abigail Claire Tilton discusses the relationship between higher education and gender equality.

1. Higher
Education and
Gender
Equality
Abigail Claire Tilton

2. Forsome,highereducationisseenasthegreatequalizer
betweenmenandwomen,and,lowerclassandupper
class.Highereducationismeanttoprovideawayfor
peopletoexcelandopendoorsthatwouldotherwisebe
closedtothosewithoutdegrees.Forwomen,higher
educationoffersachancetogainmeaningfulexperience
andgrowthasscholars.

3. Unfortunately,therestillseemstobeadiscrepancybetween
genderequalityandhighereducation.Althoughmorewomenthan
everarebeingenrolledandattendcollege,manyfeministsand
feministscholarsseetheinfluxofwomeninsoftsciencefieldsas
awayforadministrationstoplaythenumbergame.Womenare
stillbeingrejectedinSTEMfieldsandotherpredominantlymale
areasofstudy.Professorsandadministratorsatcollegestendto
bemale,whichmeansthatthereisalackofequalityaswomenare
beingdelegatedtosoftsciencefieldsinstead.

4. Womenhavebeenattheforefrontoffightingforgenderequality
withinhighereducation,craftingnewareasofstudiessuchas
genderstudiesandwomen’sstudiesinordertohelpbring
attentiontotheinequalitiesdifferentindividualsmayface.
Despitethis,feministscholarsarelefttowonderifthesystems
thatperpetuatemisogynyarestillinplaceatcolleges,withthe
administratorsofcollegesandprofessionalsstillbeingalargely
malefield,despitethegrowingnumberoffemaleprofessionals.

5. Inmanycases,thereisstillworktobedonetocreateamoreequal
spaceingenderespeciallywherepeoplecanfeelcomfortable
discussinggenderdisparities.Itseemsthattherearetwo
aspectsofhighereducationthatclashwitheachotherinthis
regard.Thereisapartinhighereducationthatleadstothe
creatingofscholarsingenderstudieswithknowledgeofhowto
fixthingsandthesystematictreatmentofhighereducationasa
commoditythatmustbesoldtopeoplefromallovertheworld.

6. Thismeansthatthereisalargerfocustoselluniversityasan
experiencethatstickswiththestatusquo.Intruth,higher
educationisabusinessmodelthatsurvivesonestablishedsocial
norms,whichleavesverylittlespaceforactivechangeespecially
inregardstogenderequalityinspacesofhighereducation.

7. Thanks!
@Abigail_Tilton
AbigailClaireTilton.com
AbigailClaireTilton
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