Couldn't avoiding an activity that you would otherwise enjoy because there are too many boys (or girls) doing it be considered sexist?
Sexisim is defined as unfair treatment of someone based on sex. I don't think that not joining the chess club fits this definition.
I can see both sides of this debate. On the one hand, I suspect that Bostonian is suspicious of a condition called stereotype threat. Honestly, I am too. I've seen some deeply, deeply
bogus studies on the
subject. Both studies I just cited were published in
Science! These and other papers I've read are pseudoscience, yet are touted in such high places, they make me dubious about the field as a whole.
Which isn't to say that sexism doesn't exist. Of course it does. Women haven't succeeded historically in countless areas for the simple reason that they weren't allowed to. My husband's mother wanted to be a fighter pilot, but it wasn't allowed. My aunt kept her job after she had kids (1950s) and suffered all kinds of abuse for being a "working wife." I mean, women weren't even allowed to
vote until less than 100 years ago. And then there are African-Americans (and Hispanics), who are STILL having trouble casting a ballot. This is not "stereotype threat." This is a locked door.
People have earnestly debated whether or not the country is ready for a female (or African-American) president. Etc. The problem isn't necessarily that women or members of a variety of ethnic groups are less capable. It's that
other people either see them that way or (IMO)
don't want to have more people to compete with. Or...maybe a lot of them can't handle the idea that people they thought were inferior to them...aren't.
And a lot of these individuals either make decisions or have a high-profile soapbox to shout from.
So I can be as tough as nails and incredibly confident in my abilities, but that won't be worth a nickel if the people who run the male-dominated club don't want me around because I'm a girl. Oh, they may not say so directly, but I'll get the message when they don't look at me when they're talking and don't acknowledge what I say.
No, all men aren't like that. But a lot are.
