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  Mathematik und Gender - ein Paradoxon? Einführung in Gendersensibilisierung für die Mitarbeitenden der Fakultät für Mathematik an der Universität Regensburg

This Lecture Series, which was presented by Angela Siebold and Birte Gooßes of DINX and dealt with the Concept of Equality, Equality and men, gender-responsive language and applications of equality.

Topics of the Presentations

1. Approaching the Topic and Contextualisation
   1. Comparing the latest Gender Distribution of the Faculty of Mathematics to that of other German Universities
   2. Gender and Diversity – Gender as a dimension of diversity for many people
      • Diversity Management
   3. Unfair Opportunities for Women
      • Doing Gender
2. Gender Equality and Men
   1. Positive Effects of an equal system on men
   2. Effects of an unequal system on men
3. Gender-Responsive Language
   1. Effects of Gender-Responsive Language
   2. Variations of Gender-Responsive Language
4. Perspective and Approach
   1. Empowerment
   2. Allyship
   3. Concrete Ways to Approach Equality through Allyship and Empowerment
   4. Mentoring

Diversity Management

Age Diversity Management	Cultural Diversity Management	LGBTQ Diversity Management	Disability/Integration Management	Gender Diversity Management
Staff Age Stereotypes Cooperation between the Generations Health Management Knowledge Management age-specific differences in the development of skills flexible partial retirement	Reducing Access Barriers Mindful Use of Language Anonymous Job Applications Recognition of Cultural Backgrounds and Multilingualism Reducing Access Barriers Mindful Use of Language Anonymous Job Applications Recognition of Cultural Backgrounds and Multilingualism	Mindful Use of Language Enabling Internal Networking Applying LGBTQ Perspectives (e.g. in marketing)	Fully Accessible Workspaces Reintegration Integration in Personnel Development Measures	Flexible, Family-friendly Working Hours Equal Pay Access to Leadership Positions Deconstruction of Stereotypes Gender Mainstreaming Gender-sensitive Speech

Results of Diversity Management

• Acknowledgement of Diversitiy and Individuality
• Creation of Equal and Fair Opportunities, and of Equality
• Reduction of Discrimination based on Differences or Afflilation to a Specific Minority
• Diversity mirrors itself within the organisation
• Change from Formal Equality to Subastantial Equality

Unfair Opportunities for Women

Doing Gender

• Concept by Candace West and Don Zimmerman
• Assumption: Gender is a social construct
• This construct is manifested through
  • Noticing and recognizing a gender
  • portraying the gender
  • reproducing said construct in the daily life
• example:
  • boys and girls are both equally good in Mathematics at the beginning of their school careers, in higher grades, however, girls have far worse grades, through worse performance or even worse evaluation of the teacher. Reasons for this could be:
    • Parents expecting a girl to be good in languages and boys to be good in the Natural Sciences
    • Boys and girls receive gender-specific toys
    • School books still represent the typical stereotypes
    • teachers ask boys more often to give them the answer, when they raise their hand

Men as the Guardians of the Glass Ceiling

• 3 Dominant Patterns of the Mindset (Carsten Wippermann)
  • Conservative Exclusion:
    • Rejection of women in a leadership position because of her gender
    • Women as a nuisance in the “inner circle”
    • Women unwelcome as a board member
  • Emancipated Stance: Women are chanceless against rituals of power and social stereotypes
  • Total Individualism:
    • Gender does not matter
    • "there are however no authentic and flexible females in the job market"
• Study by International Labour Organisation (2019):
  • Companies with a higher percentage of females in leading positions, are proven to be more successful:
    • Women change the Corporate Culture
    • Women boost creativity and innovation
    • put more emphasis on participative cooperation and social behaviour
    • this helps make better decisions with long-term effects

Gender Equality and Men

Positive Effects of an Equal System on Men

• more possibilities of self-fulfilment
• less pressure of acting out certain stereotypes or to live up to traditional roles
• masculinity could not be denied

Effects of an Unequal System on Men

• toxic masculinity

Gender-Responsive Language

• Language Influences our Thinking:
  • Pictures show up in our heads through Language.
  • It is mirrored in our minds, if only men are mentioned.
• Do not only Think of Mentioning Women:
  • texts are usually written with the masculine noun, even though they are meant to include everyone
  • Females should be explicitly named, so they feel like the text is also meant for them
• Write Democratically: The mention of all genders shows that equal rights for females, males and X are a democratic principle.
• Erase Traditional Stereotypes:
  • Traditional stereoypes are getting erased by addressing humans of all genders
  • Gender-responsive language implicitly shows that women as well as men are suitable and qualified for the job

Empowerment

Good Empowerment needs Consciousness for:

• Power dimension:
  • Who is talking to who? What are the ranks?
  • What Frankness/Intake do the surroundings convey?
  • It can be empowering if a person we look up to encourages us
  • At the same time, it can be intimidating to be in a situation, where to person that is talking to us is of a higher position than we are.
• The Point in Time:
  • When can I be empowered?
  • When does it work and how?
  • Small empowerment actions can be executed any time
  • There should be a save space or special circumstances to try something grander
    • Is someone else around? Who? Are these people negatively influencing the outcome or inhibiting it?
    • Or is there a safe space?
• Perspective
  • Why is this happening? Is it authentic and leaving a lasting impression?
  • How is it perceived?
• System:
  • Empowerment also means to notice contexts and multi-faceted discrimination and that they result in different needs

Allyship

Why do we need allies?

• Interventions cost strength – for the affected person as well as the ally
  • women always have inner and outer obstacles to get over
  • The Affected person could get confronted with further discrimination and have to go through a reproduction of previous encounters
  • Allies have to expect negative reactions, which can be demotivating
• allies sometimes have more privilege and are more “visible” and can use this together with the affected group
• Change in Positions
  • If the affected person talks about her personal problem, she can be accused of a lack of neutrality  tendency to refer to individual cases and not to the actual problem
  • We need allies who can advocate for the topic, to lessen the blow

Concrete Ways to Approach Equality through Allyship and Empowerment

• Creating Visibility for the Problem
  • Special Events/ Rooms/ Networks
  • Specific Support
• Participation
  • Show the perspective of the affected people/ give them a voice
  • Create Initiatives

Mentoring

Mentoring enables sustained learning on different levels

• a binding and individual tandem-relationship over a temporary time span
• Informal Studying
• Learning from Experiences
• Structural Networks
• Key Skills

Advantages for Mentees

• Help in decision making
• Information and Motivation
• Role Models
• Emotional Aid and Support
• Companionship
• Personality Development
• New Experiences
• Broadening ones Horizon
• Informal Studying
• Introduction into Networks
• Empowerment

Advantages for Mentors

• Being a Role Model
• New Experiences
• Reflection of Being in a Leading Position
• Transfer of Know How
• Life-Long Learning
• Networks
• Motivation

Pre-Requisites to Become a Mentor

• Preparation through Seminars
• Accompaniment through Supervision and Group Meetings
• Support through Leading Positions
• Incorporation in Personnel Management