In many schools and universities today, women have a tendency to study the humanities (such as the arts and languages) while men more often major in science related subjects. Some believe this tendency should be changed. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Today more

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Today, more

and more parents and policymakers are concerned with the disproportionate ratio of males studying

science

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relative to females. In my opinion, though there are likely social factors at play here that need addressing, there is little value enforcing

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change. The main reason that many are striving to remedy

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imbalance is because they feel it is

societal

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society

, not natural. For centuries, women have subjugated their careers and education to male siblings and husbands.

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has led to a history of mostly male role models in scientific pursuits, with women like Mary Shelly and Frida more likely to shine in the arts. Even today, there is a widespread bias that men are better at

science

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that may discourage girls. There have been a number of famous studies

cataloging

a book or pamphlet containing an enumeration of things

cataloguing

the gender imbalance in

science

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, with most researchers attributing

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to social, rather than genetic, factors.

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, heavy-handed efforts to force change

are

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is

detrimental to both men and women. Women who are helped or strongly encouraged to pursue

science

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rather than the arts will be less self-reliant and more likely to develop self-esteem problems. A corollary example would be the failure of affirmative action to promote racial equality. Individuals prosper when societal barriers to success are removed and they are given the opportunity to help themselves. If overly strong measures are taken,

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as a quota of female majors in a given subject, that might place less qualified candidates above more deserving ones and

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later manifest itself in reduced self-confidence from the unfairly elevated and resentment from those who were passed over. In conclusion, though I am in favour of all reforms to provide for equal educational opportunity for the sexes, attempts to reform a tendency rather than allow for its change will bring about more harm than good. Rather, parents and educators should encourage students to pursue their passions.