girls tend to choose arts subjects, while boys choose science
In schools and tertiary levels, there are two main tendencies in choosing subjects among students, with males going for science subjects, and their counterparts deciding on arts subjects. This essay will discuss the reason for this trend and why it needs to be changed.
The root of this situation, in my opinion, stems from students' endeavors to conform to gender norms, which have been imprinted on their minds throughout many generations. Science subjects are usually associated with masculine traits due to their perceived relevance to traditional men's jobs such as engineer or mechanics. Arts subjects, on the other hand, are deemed as a means to emphasize emotions, which is believed to be more suitable for women. This has led to a situation where course selection becomes an identity resource, resulting in students choosing a certain subject to not only build up their self-image but also establish their gender credibility with their peers.
There are compelling reasons to change this situation. To begin with, having to conform to those gender stereotypes would prevent students from reaching their full potential. To be more specific, they would not be able to learn subjects which they are really good at just because those courses are dominated by people of the opposite gender, and having to study a subject for which they have neither talent nor passion would be wasteful.
In conclusion, students putting effort to conform to gender norms are one main contributor to the problem, and actions need to be taken to change this situation.