It’s one of the most important majors in the world, education. Image courtesy of Butler University. 

TESSA HAMILTON | OPINION COLUMNIST | tehamilton@butler.edu 

“What do you want to do with that?” That’s the question everyone poses when I tell them I’m an English major.

Oftentimes, people assume that the major is pointless and students in the field will end up working an unrelated job for little pay. However, English is not the only major where this is a prominent issue. 

English, psychology, education and many more majors considered to be “female-dominated” are all given similar treatment, with looks of pity or judgment after sharing what their major is. 

“So, why’d you choose that?” The person often asks, as if they struggle to believe someone could simply be passionate about the subject. 

The label “female-dominated” itself can scare people away from a major that they’re truly passionate about in exchange for something they think will bring them more success or money in the future. As a result of this, they may not be happy with their major long term.

“Female-dominated” is not necessarily the most accurate term to apply to these majors. While there may be more women in the major than men, that doesn’t mean that men have no influence or power in these fields. 

When taking classes in one of these “female-dominated” fields, there is often an imperceptible difference between the gender division as opposed to a “male-dominated” field.

English department senior lecturer Dr. Natalie Carter weighed in on teaching classes in a field labeled “female-dominated.”

“It gets kind of frustrating,” Dr. Carter said. “Because when you label something as dominated by one particular demographic group, then that tends to scare off some people who might otherwise want to be in those classes, so it can be a little frustrating to be pigeonholed that way. Literature is for everybody.”

Not only are these classes merely labeled “female-dominated,” they are also frequently discussed in a negative light.

Libby Dreibelbis, a sophomore middle/secondary education and English double major, shared some of the derogatory comments she’s heard about the College of Education.

“Every time I’m talking to someone outside of the College of Education,” Dreibelbis said. “They always [say] ‘College of [Education] kids, they’re only coloring pictures.’ [They don’t recognize] the actual work we’re putting in to get our degrees.”

To put it blatantly, these stereotypes exist due to a misogynistic view of majors considered “female-dominated” and highly humanities-focused. 

“It also has a lot to do with where we put [monetary] resources,” Dr. Carter said, “And where we tell people that we hold value as a society, and where their time and futures are going to be valuable.”

The disrespect and lower opinions held about these fields often cause a lack of resources and support for the programs. This can include lower funding and worse physical spaces.

Furthermore, the pay gap that often exists between men and women can lead to further stereotypes in college about a “female-dominated” major, with people assuming that a job in a “female-dominated” field will make them less money.

Danielle Temores, a junior criminology and psychology double major, expressed her thoughts on this presumption.

“[There’s] the pay gap between females and males,” Temores said. “I feel like sometimes there’s an assumption that [something is] female-dominated, so it’s not making as much money compared to men.”

To push back against the negative stereotypes, we have to invite others to appreciate these fields for what they are, and not see them as lesser just because many girls are interested in them.

“You always have to invite people in,” Dr. Carter said, “These are not spaces that need to be exclusionary …  I operate everything I do from the point of saying, ‘let’s have a conversation’.”

So, what is the future of “female-dominated” majors? I’m hopeful it will include better funding, more professors, better spaces and a greater appreciation for these majors by the general public. If people are truly passionate about a subject, they will pursue it whether or not it’s considered “female-dominated.” Finally, people will stop judging others based on their passions and field of study.