Recent reports have suggested that the ratio of girls to boys taking physics as a choice, particulary at A level is a massively uneven one. It would seem that many girls do not consider physics an option. The underlying question must be what is dissuading them? In my case (speaking from the male side of the gender spectrum) it was not that I didn't enjoy physics, one was just not good enough at the underlying maths to pursue it.
That would be a reasonable explantion, except that I am confident that as high if not a higher proportion of girls are competent enough in mathematics to pusruse this course.
Unfortunately, despite this being the 21st Century there has to be a genuine concern here that one of the reasons for this is gender stereotyping. The idea that physics is just not for girls (as ridiculous as that sounds!). Statisitcs may support this too, whilst only 20% of students chosing physics are girls in other sciences the split is much more even, 50/50 for chemistry and actually 55% girls for biology. So why physics? Is it because it leads to engineering, astrophysiscs, theoretical physics and lots of potentially male dominated worlds? Who knows?
What I do know is this, no girl/boy should be dissuaded from doing ANY subject because of peer or social pressure. Social conformity may be one of the most restricting and noxious social ills we face. Be what you wnat to be, do what you want to do and attempt to achieve whatever you can in whatever area whatever your gender!
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