Why so few girls?

[BerrieK]

Originally Posted by Liz

That works both ways ..... when I started nursing ....waaaaaay back, there were no boys, or 1 every 2 years, if Matron agreed, now there are guys everywhere!!

I hear ya Liz...I'm married to an RN!! I'm a radiographer and there are more male nurses appearing at our hospital all the time. Of course when we lived in Sydeny and worked at RPAH - lots of male nurses there but a different demographic!

Oh and Rider the traditionalist attituds expressed by some on this thread are okay really - everyone is entitled to their own opinions. Everyone has had a different upbringing and life experience that influences their own mindset. All good.

Stongmanmike I hear ya and agree too - these stats are probably related to the proportion of men in the more 'dangerous' professions. Another interesting statistic is that married men live longer than unmarried men, but unmarried women live longer than married women!! Not fair

Les D I dont think that you have dug yourself into a hole - you thoughts seem very reasonable in general terms to me!!

I also think that no matter what someone's thought or opinion on a topic there will always be someone who does not fit the defined mould. We were all made different for a reason.

Perhaps I AM a bit of a tomboy (or was when younger anyway)..my boss always tells my I'm such a boy because I wont play the silly bi#$%y games some of the other female staff members play!


Kerrie

[PeterM]

A very interesting thread. Our society (SAS, Brisbane) has had 3 lady presidents for 9 of the last 20 years. Even now our current president Noeleen, fills the role with knowledge, enthusiasm and does a really wonderful job of getting things done.

Our societies newsletter is sent to some 200 members and friends, a quick add up indicates 23 of those are ladies so around 11% and this is also about what I see at meetings. That number is too low but slowly increasing.

What concerns me at our meetings are the extremely low numbers of teenagers, youth, male and female, despite our societies involvement with many school nights, these are in decline to what I remember say 20 years ago. I don't know what the numbers of youth in other clubs in Brisbane are like but from various astrocamps I have been to I suspect they may be low as well. I see this as a very real concern for the future of our hobby. We have an awful lot to compete with in getting youngsters involved, non the least the ever expanding city lights, there is little inspiration to ignite that initial spark and schools appear to offer very little support.

Some years ago a friend of my then 16 year old son stepped outside my caravan at Leyburn exclaiming "whoooaa what's that?" It took a moment ot two before I realised it was the Milky Way he was seeing under a dark sky, he had never seen it like that before.
PeterM.

[Robh (Rob)]

Originally Posted by PeterM

We have an awful lot to compete with in getting youngsters involved, non the least the ever expanding city lights, there is little inspiration to ignite that initial spark and schools appear to offer very little support.

Some years ago a friend of my then 16 year old son stepped outside my caravan at Leyburn exclaiming "whoooaa what's that?" It took a moment ot two before I realised it was the Milky Way he was seeing under a dark sky, he had never seen it like that before.
PeterM.

This is could be a real concern if the trend is widespread. There are only a few youngsters in our local astronomy club. Most are male and 40+ years old.
Regards, Rob

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

The beauty of Astronomy is that it can be enjoyed by everyone regardless of gender, age and technical ability.
We're all Amateurs Astronomers. Our levels of experience may differ but our enthusiasm is just as strong as the next person.

[Robh (Rob)]

Originally Posted by jjjnettie

The beauty of Astronomy is that it can be enjoyed by everyone regardless of gender, age and technical ability.

And that's what I like about this website. Everyone can participate at whatever level they're at and have their say. And venture outside their comfort zone, even at the risk of looking inept or even
I'm sure I've been there already!
Sometimes you just have to laugh
Rob

[marki]

Originally Posted by Robh

This is could be a real concern if the trend is widespread. There are only a few youngsters in our local astronomy club. Most are male and 40+ years old.
Regards, Rob

Let me drift back 30 years in time to when I was a teenager. Hmmm $2000 for a scope and long cold nights standing under the stars alone or $2000 worth of beer, parties and perhaps the odd young lady to keep me company . Tough choice me thinks.

Mark

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by BerrieK

Stongmanmike I hear ya and agree too - these stats are probably related to the proportion of men in the more 'dangerous' professions. Another interesting statistic is that married men live longer than unmarried men, but unmarried women live longer than married women!! Not fair

Ah yes, always an excuse and that's what it is - an excuse to push it under the carpet...but it doesn't make it right that these terrible comparitive stats aren't blandished over and over again like the "women get paid less than men" or "only some small % of senior executives are women" etc mantras do ! We have an office for the status of women, in fact a minister, but there aint nobody for us blokes in Australia, even though we are victoms of much more violence, dying left right and centre from preventable causes, getting injured and killed at work 10X more often and our life expectancy is still woefull compared to women.

Do you know what the difference in logevity is in what you say above? Is is a factor of 10..? Hmmm, I think not Kerrie .

Our society is completely desensitised to violence, danger, pain and suffering that men endure, to a point where it is all blarzzay really.

A cuious example - my sister was recently visiting and talking (as she does )while watching Underbelly on the TV, she was completely oblivious to the violent savage shooting of a couple of blokes at point blank range done with complete contempt for them but when the boobs came on the tube, well oh boy!...she was discusted and only then thought it was inapropriate for her 14yr old daughter, who was in the room watching, to continue to view and remarked "I'm not sure yo should be watching this, cover your eyes dear"

To me this tells me a lot about what our society thinks about violence, pain, illness etc in regards to men ie not that much

Oh well I digress again (for the last time in this thread I promise)

...more women in Astronomy I say!

Mike

[Gallifreyboy]

Average life expectancy australian male 79 years, female 83 years. One of the problems of living longer is that all the extra years are at the end when you are old. Eyesight may not allow astronomy as a new hobby by then.

[iceman (Mike)]

lol Mike I recall a conversation similar to this at IISAC2008 last year on a rainy Saturday night

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by iceman

lol Mike I recall a conversation similar to this at IISAC2008 last year on a rainy Saturday night

Yes I remember now .

I apologise, my reply's have been slightly off topic, I know, but when ever the equality of pay in the work force claim comes up I just can't help myself

Oh and women in fact now live to "over" 84 in Australia, men are still at just over 79 so there is still a 5 yr gap...sheesh, in the 21st century and in a top 20 economy this is appauling IMO

err was I digressing again, huh? Ooops

Mike

[BerrieK]

Mike (Strongman) I apologise if it appears that I am a female chauvinist pig - this is certainly not the case and apologise if I have offended you in any way!

Sorry this is also off topic but although a few years old, this http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=432108 referenced essay re life expectancy is rather interesting.

Anyhow thats me out of this thread as it seems to have potential to be heading in an inflammatory direction.

Kerrie

[spacezebra (Petra)]

Yes, I remember the conversation well.

Originally Posted by iceman

lol Mike I recall a conversation similar to this at IISAC2008 last year on a rainy Saturday night

Cheers Petra d.

[matt]

Nothing's stopping women from getting involved in astronomy. I find the whole implication that men are somehow responsible for any perceived absence or imbalance quite laughable and usually advanced by those with a larger agenda or axe to grind.

Bizarre....truly bizarre.

But anyway...let's all just live and let live, and welcome ladies everywhere

Personally...I enjoy having you around. Some of my favourite people are women!!!

[kinetic (Steve)]

Originally Posted by Gallifreyboy

I agree with the different interests theory. I bought a new telescope in January and have spent a lot of time with the kids (me being the biggest one) trying to encourage enthusiasm in equal amounts. Oldest child female 11 slight interest in smiley face conjunction in December and first good view of Saturn. Second child age 7 male cannot stop talking or thinking astronomy, wants to know everything, can locate accurately 30 brightest stars in sky, knows names 4 galillean moons looks up astronomy websites for favourite photos. Third child female age 4 interested in moon and saturn but busually in bed by time of best viewing. Similar genetics, similar encouragement, different outcomes.

Peter,

I'm in a very similar 'ongoing experiment' with my two kids.
My only advice would be: keep at it, no matter what happens, they will
be all the better for the experience. Most kids at this very
impressionable age never get that insight or privilege.

Another few observations if I might add to this great thread:

I always envied those great couples like Gene and Caroline Shoemaker
and Carl Sagan and Ann Dryan, who got to share at least a part of
their lives together enjoying this hobby/career etc.

I wish I could share the same exuberance and what the hobby does
for me at a personal level with my partner but it just won't ever
happen. She has her hobbies and I have mine. And that's just what makes
us 'tick'.

Secondly, out of all of the couples and friends etc who have ever
seen my observatory or shared a viewing night here at my place,
I had the most interest and razor sharp questions from the females
of the friends and couples. Just an observation.

Steve

[Baddad (Marty)]

Hey Kerrie,

I have been quite entertained by the interesting points made on this thread. I find that you don't make that many posts but when you do they are intelligent and worth reading.

Anyhow thats me out of this thread as it seems to have potential to be heading in an inflammatory direction.

Don't Go! Its reasonably sublime and unruffled.

I feel its gone into a direction that everyone is providing personal experiences to exemplify the differences in Mars to Venus.

This has been good so far.

Cheers Marty

[Gallifreyboy]

Cheers Steve,
encouragement will keep coming but everything is a very poor second to the Twilight movie and book series for the 11 year old at the moment. Has anyone else had their children abducted by this Twilight phenomena?
I honestly don't think I was quite as obsessed with Star Wars, Dr Who or Indiana Jones. Come to think of it the Twilight series is vaguely astronomical, at least the titles...Eclipse, New Moon and Breaking Dawn....maybe there is an avenue. The good vampire/ bad vampire deal is harder to link in.

[gman (Grant)]

Q. Why do men die before women?
A. Because we can.

Q. Why do men like astronomy?
A. Gets us out of the house away from women for a little ME time. (for you younger folk - you will understand when you are older)

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by BerrieK

Mike (Strongman) I apologise if it appears that I am a female chauvinist pig - this is certainly not the case and apologise if I have offended you in any way!

Sorry this is also off topic but although a few years old, this http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=432108 referenced essay re life expectancy is rather interesting.

Anyhow thats me out of this thread as it seems to have potential to be heading in an inflammatory direction.

Kerrie

Hey Kerrie no offence here at all, I don't think you are a female shauvinist and certainly not a pig

I just have difficulty with the continual disregard for the real and serious issues that face men in Australia, as if they simply don't exist or are not politically correct to bring up, that's all, so I try to balance it up sometimes...always seems to make me a bit of a radical unfortunately Particularly when I have err? kinda highjacked a thread oops

More women in astronomy?.. here here! Love it!

Mike

[Jen]

Originally Posted by spacezebra

Hi Jen

My new moon nights usually wideup about 3am with our society members.

Meanwhile (back at the homestead) partner is home tucked in bed zzzzZZZZZZing or watching Westerns!

I travelled solo to Nhill VicSouth Desert Spring Star Party in 2007 - saw the sun come up and had a ball observing with a great group of guys!

I have no barriers or blockers to my love of astronomy, observe when I like and buy what ever takes my fancy to feed the hobby. Its great and would not have it any otherway.

Cheers Petra d.

LMAO Petra you go girl i need a astro chick like you in my town i could get some good tips from you The problem i have is hubby isnt home 5 nights a week he is only home on Fri & Sat nite so it seems hard to give him a peck on the cheek and say see ya im off to check out the stars with another man
well its worth a try hehehe

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

One good thing about being part of the minority in this hobby, is that you get to hang out with the majority.