Well, I maths aren't my best subject which is one reason I did not pursue any of the hard sciences. However, I suppose I chose psychology for my Bachelor's because I wanted to understand why humans worked they way they do. It is less that I was pushed away from technology/science - my next choice of a Bachelor's was biology - but it was more I was drawn to another discipline I found more interesting for personal reasons.

Online discussion
"why are women not taking up core subjects?"
"I take it by your question that you have a background in gender studies"
"I do actually have an MA in gender studies but I fail to see what that has to do with it?"
"Why didn`t you take a core subject?"
"F#ck off"

Men

I worked as a receptionist at a window company for several years in between my two times in college. I had to help the repair department with fixing screens and windows—people dropped the product with me and I created the work orders, which required measuring the window. On at least five occasions after I measured it the man dropping it off would remeasure it and at least twice they stopped me from doing it saying I couldn’t possibly know how to measure because I’m female. But you know the joke about why women can’t measure, right? It’s because that they are always being told that six inches is actually ten!

I started as a biotech major, then switched to chemistry, then to physics, then to psychology. I made that switch because I really wanted to make a difference/help people and I decided,l that despite my love of science, at least for me and my particular talents, I could make more of an impact in the social sciences/humanities. I ended up leaving without a degree because my daughter was getting older and I was feeling guilty accepting welfare and I wasn’t able to go back until 2009. I majored in Poly Sci and minored in history. I graduated from NDSU in 2011 and law school in 2014. I still think I can make more of a difference as a lawyer and advocate for those who need me than I could have in a STEM field—only because of my personality—but man would I have loved to be a scientist!! The good news is my daughter is completely on board with biology!

I didn't pursue engineering because I wasn't too interested in it. I am however in one of the STEM fields. I did my undergrad in forensic chemistry, and am now working on PhD in Pharmaceutical sciences. Up until high school I was certain that I'd be a linguist, because that's what was expected of me by my mother, who has nightmares about having maths tests to this day. Towards the end of middle school I discovered how much I enjoyed sciences. I was good at languages, literature, and such, but I was also equally good at biology and chemistry. I lacked in physics and geometry. I went into sciences certain that I'd fail. Well... I didn't. I remember vividly one of the introductory college chemistry classes we had for an audience of roughly 200 people. The professor ( an older man) asked a question about cars. No one said anything, and I was too shy to raise my hand, so I said it to myself under my breath, but he heard me. He said " yes! " Followed by " boys, you should be embarrassed, a girl knows this but you don't". To this day I'm not sure how to feel about this, be proud of be insulted? I'm surrounded by men most of the time, and I have no problem with this. I do need to be better than them to be noticed, to be heard, and to be taken seriously. When I present posters at conferences, I'm approached by men who later give me their business cards with cell phones written in the back and asked to meet afterwards. Was it because I was impressive as a presenter, or was it because when I wear a suit I look like a hot librarian fetish dream? It's a tough field, but I love what I do, and I will stay in it and hopefully l leave a mark. Oh yeah, the level of mansplaining is ridiculous. But hey, comes with territory ( sarcasm)

I actually do work in the IT field. And in my experience I can say that I am almost always the only woman on the team (there are some exceptions to that). I have worked in places where there was so much prejudice against me being there because I am a woman, it was palatable. But I've also worked with groups of men who have been very excepting of me, even respectful. I don't know why I say that like it's a shock to me, but it kind of is!

Unfair pay?

I majored in biology because it's what I wanted to study. I wanted to study neuromusicology (didn't get far). I didn't get far enough to notice any overt bias against women. My science classes were evenly mixed.

My mother was a math major with edu degree who taught middle school math. Father was a police officer. I was brought up with no particular pushes or pulls toward or away from any subjects or pursuits. I was and still am primarily arty: reading, writing, poetry, drama, music, art. I developed a deep and abiding passion for science later in life.

My brother was into tech and engineering. Had I had interests more in line with my brother's (e.g. erector set, crystal radio, rockets, electronics) I probably would gotten more attention from my father--but I think that had more to do with his narcissistic personality than any gendered scripting. And that didn't have much impact on me anyway: I did what I wanted and didn't feel any kind of way about it.

If I had a chance to restart my education I'm not sure I'd choose the same track...but only because my interests and sense of effectiveness have evolved.

I am fifty-six and I grew up hearing constantly that math and science were "not for girls". I apparently believed it. Now, I am in grad school earning a Master's in Instructional Technology so obviously, I don't believe it anymore!