"Anytime I ask for help in class, at least five of my male classmates offer to form a study group, which is the engineer’s lifeline."
By Jazmine Livingston ,20
Picking a college major is a daunting task, especially when the one you want to pursue seems out of reach because of your gender. Youth Radio's Jazmine Livingston explains how she has used sexism to her advantage in the male- dominated field of electrical engineering.
Going into college, I was discouraged from becoming an engineering major strictly because of my gender.
I’m Jazmine Livingston with a commentary from Youth Radio.
My high school advisor told me I’d struggle going into a male-dominated field. My mother told me I’d be miserable because of the workload. But here I am, entering my third year as an electrical engineering major, and I still love what I’m studying.
I’ve actually found that women can have the advantage in this field. Anytime I ask for help in class, at least five of my male classmates offer to form a study group, which is the engineer’s lifeline. I also feel that my professors are more inclined to help me because I stand out in their classes. In a major this intense, I would be crazy to turn down the extra assistance.
Sexism, on top of the usual routine of homework, studying and three hour labs is a lot to deal with. But I love the fact that I can identify the different components of a microchip, and understand the concept behind mutual inductance. Despite the initial discouragement, I know this field is where I belong.
