Quote:
Originally Posted by Sperkowsky
[W]ould being on drive team feel the same if the only reason you were there was because no boys were allowed there?
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I'm sure a couple other people are wondering this as well, so this is an open message to all, and not just Sam
I don't care who was there as long as I got the experience I was able to communicate with other teams and strategize, as well as absorb a variety of technical knowledge from being in that atmosphere. I also learned leadership in a scenario. All these aspect would remain the same regardless of who else was around me.
The above is applicable to me, and I can only speak for myself. This is because I have learned how to cope and various techniques when I feel dominated in a male-based setting.
What would be different is level of comfort. I don't care if this is the right thing to say, but I feel more comfortable around those of the same gender as me. This fosters an environment for those who might not be comfortable in the traditional setting to build their skills in a comfortable way before thrown into the real world.
This skill building in this environment helps other females grow and could potentially increase female in STEM retention rates.
So, it's not about being able to get that "coveted" position by kicking out all males. The feeling of drive team was simply one that allowed me to build my skills, and if more females can build that skill in a non-traditional setting, I am all for it.