Maybe people shouldn't be persuaded to pick careers based on what "society wants" or what demographic ratios "should" be.
Maybe we need more women, no, more people to pick the most advantageous careers for them personally.
This isn't about philosophy or ideology, and it's interesting that so many people here are framing it that way.
I was never even aware of that as a factor. If I had been, I should have thought "Of course I can't engineer software because according to our society's stereotypes of middle eastern people, I should become a terrorist instead".
I don't get why anyone should even care about stereotypes in the first place (let alone have to de-program themselves) because they should decide for themselves as individuals.
Grumble grumble, Identity Politics, grumble grumble.
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The Gender Gap in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) fields and in Silicon Valley is a hot topic right now. We hear the same questions over and over, from many different directions:
* What are the causes of this phenomenon?
* What are the solutions?
* Is it even something we ought to be concerned about?(I won’t dignify that last one with an answer.)
(I do not believe either suggestion, not for a second. And I am disturbed that people are so ignorant of history. Both the women subject to stereotype threat and the men suggesting it's a non-issue are making this same kind of mistake. So, instead, I'd like to point out that women are awesomely smart. So deal with it. Please.)