The courses for women only were designed to inspire women to pursue the sciences. This does not mean that the courses are trying to discriminate against men; they are simply trying to get women to develop an interest in science. Most men already have this incentive, and do not need an extra push in the right direction. The science courses for women also encourage them to overcome precedents not set for men.

This is an example of a website dedicated to supporting women in science:

http://www.awis.org/

Just as another thought, men are not completely equal to women. Men often have stereotype images of how they should be, and this limits them. For example, some men may not want to be teachers because the job is too "feminine", or enjoy "girly" pursuits such as knitting for fear of being teased. Men are also thought of as being "violent" and "emotional", which is not always the case. I think that society has made generalizations about both genders, and this holds them back. If people removed these views, men and women could behave as they wished without feeling pressured.

I agree; I think that women can also help men when men are in trouble or in a temper. In this way, both are balanced.

I agree; I think that women are starting to see the advantage of following a goal, because they are making some advances in scientific fields and in other jobs that men would usually have. Sometimes, they may become discouraged due to social and/or family pressure.

Women also faced some inequality in terms of social standards. Some behaviors that women indulged in were frowned upon, yet it was socially acceptable for men to indulge in them. For instance, in the 1920's, flappers began to drink, cut their hair into boyish bobs, and smoke. As a result, they were looked down upon by the older generations. However, men got away with all of these behaviors. Nowadays, women can indulge in these behaviors, but there are still people who frown upon them.

I think that men's sports are more "physical" because men are usually physically stronger than women. This fits in with some macho ideas about sports. However, it is not fair to compare the abilities of players across genders.

I think that women nowadays have to overcome the precedents set by past generations (such as the fact that women are "weak"). It is certainly possible; take women in the twenties for instance. While men were fighting in WW1, women took over their jobs and performed them successfully. This alerted the government to the capabilities of women, and women won the right to vote. There are many successful women in the present; people simply have to pay attention to their accomplishments.

I agree; just because women are quieter doesn't mean that they less capable than men. In fact, they often demonstrate more self control than men.

In the past, women have filled the roles of parent and housewife. Nowadays, however, women are making great strides in professional careers and the sciences. Although men and women may not be given equal job opportunities yet, society is starting to recognize women as being “equal” to men.

One example of this can be found in our own community. Two years ago, a math/science day for girls only was held at MSU. The day consisted of four selected courses that exposed many fields of science such as entomology. Institutions all over the country are now creating similar programs to inspire future women.