Research demonstrates that when math-based gender stereotypes are activated (e.g., men are better at math than women), women display comparatively poorer math performance than men, a phenomenon referred to as stereotype threat. We evaluated the effectiveness of two forms of self-affirmation in reducing the effects of stereotype threat on women's…

This ethnographic study examines a girls-only summer maker program designed to empower girls who learned to use power tools to build their own designs. Drawing from theories of identity construction within figured worlds, the article shows how girls in the program authored themselves into roles that run counter to patriarchal notions of making and…

For students who face marginalization in a discipline, counterspaces are safe spaces of refuge that allow them to express their multiple identities and foster their sense of belonging. While prior qualitative work on counterspaces has highlighted how and why these spaces support marginalized students, there is little quantitative work that…

This study is an exploration of experiences of Chicanx butch lesbian students who are navigating higher education environments in San Antonio, TX. Focused on the intersection of race, gender, and sexual identities, the testimonios in this study highlight how Chicanx butch lesbian students subvert and challenge dominant heteronormative and…

In many dance competitions in North America, performances of sexualized choreography have become normalized. One result is that bodies of girl dancers are increasingly constructed as sexual objects. Sexual objectification is highly problematic for the development of girls' self-identities, body image, psychological health, and overall wellbeing.…

This article discusses young women's reading practices and the social uses of literature for enabling gender equality that are present in those practices. Through a digital ethnography study where six young women collaborated as participants, I asked the data: How is literature, precisely its capacity to be used, conceived by young women readers…

In this collaborative autoethnography, three female professors sought to reflect on personal discoveries from their recent research examining the benefits of women supporting women in academia. The findings of their study indicated that women who are mentored and supported by other women in academia feel empowered to continue with this work…

This article explores how female university students' abilities to present themselves as 'authentic' engineers are imbricated with discursive constructions of gender and gender equality. The empirical data comes from interviews and video diaries collected with three female engineering students. The analysis demonstrates the power of the Swedish…

There is long-lasting horizontal and vertical segregation between female and male academics in technical fields in Finland. This article takes the lack of female academics as its starting point and focuses on a particular case in Finland: the merger of Tampere University of Technology (TUT) and the comprehensive University of Tampere (UTA), two…

Based on biographical interviews from a telecommunications organisation, this study aims to contribute to the debate on understanding and accounting for the work-life balance intricacies of female Information and Communications Technology (ICT) professionals. An exploratory cross-sectional design adopting a qualitative case study approach with…

As part of a broader investigation into the experiences of women English teachers in Iran, this study delves into how their identities are shaped by English language learning and teaching experiences. Employing qualitative interviews and thematic analysis, the research reveals the significant role of immersion in the English language and exposure…

It is no secret that women and those that identify as women have it hard in higher education. More women than men hold doctoral degrees. More women than men are currently in the faculty ranks. However, when a critical eye is turned toward upper leadership positions in higher education, women fall behind. Some theories exist as to why this…

Objective: Internalized weight bias is experienced by young women across the weight spectrum and contributes to the development of eating disorders. Interventions have demonstrated preliminary success in reducing weight self-stigma and disordered eating, but findings have only applied to individuals with overweight and obesity and little is known…

National and local data show that many female students lose interest in STEM at an early age, female students that remain interested in STEM show partiality for life sciences. This results in gender stratification in STEM subject areas and is evident in high school enrollments in elective courses. This three-manuscript dissertation investigates…

The gender imbalance in computer science (CS) is one of the most challenging issues in American education. CS is the only science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) field in which women's representation has steadily declined in recent decades. In this study, we explored one potential approach that could be effective in increasing…