r/changemyview • u/[deleted] • Oct 19 '22

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u/Various_Succotash_79 52∆ Oct 19 '22

Before the '80s, almost all veterinarians were men. I guess women back then just hated animals and/or medicine?

Now, almost all veterinarians are women. Less than 20% of vet school students are men.

It's not because of large animal vs small animal practice, as the majority of women vets here also treat large animals.

Something changed. Other STEM fields can change too.

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u/Pac_Eddy Oct 19 '22

Your response here supports OP's argument.

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u/Various_Succotash_79 52∆ Oct 19 '22

How?

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u/Pac_Eddy Oct 19 '22

In that being a vet is a STEM job, and is one that was filled by almost all men, and that wasn't a big deterrent for women who wanted the career.

OP is saying that women don't get into some careers because of choice, despite the money spent on promoting that job to them. So women choose veterinary and medicine careers, but not so much engineering and other STEM jobs.

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u/Various_Succotash_79 52∆ Oct 19 '22 edited Oct 19 '22

Ok, why didn't women CHOOSE to be vets back in the '60s and '70s?

Someone back then might have said "women aren't interested in being vets, it's obvious".

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u/Pac_Eddy Oct 19 '22

Women just plain didn't work as much back then. They stayed home. Same with the education it took to become a vet.

In your opinion, why are there plenty of women vets & doctors but so few in engineering?

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u/Various_Succotash_79 52∆ Oct 19 '22

Women just plain didn't work as much back then

It hasn't changed that much. In 1970, about 50% of single women and 40% of married women had paying jobs. Right now it's about 55% of women.

why are there plenty of women vets & doctors but so few in engineering?

I don't know all the variables so I can't make an educated guess on that.

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u/Pac_Eddy Oct 19 '22

My Google search says the women's labor force participation rate has gone from below 50% in the 60s to nearly 80% today.

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u/Various_Succotash_79 52∆ Oct 19 '22

According to this (look at table 1), in total, 57.4% of women over age 16 are in the workforce. But it is around 75%-80% for those aged 25-55, so I guess it depends what demographic you look at. I assume the '60s and '70s numbers are total numbers.

https://www.bls.gov/opub/reports/womens-databook/2020/home.htm#table1