Exploring Gendered Experiences of High-Achieving Undergraduate Women in Mathematics

Abstract

Women’s experiences in mathematics have been a research topic for a long time. We expand on that research to ascertain whether women’s experiences in mathematics have shifted in the past four decades. Through thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews, we highlight the experiences of two undergraduate women in mathematics. The findings suggest that mathematics spaces continue to be inequitable based on gender and remain predominantly male dominated. Women may feel the need to position themselves as gender-neutral friends and minimize their gender or center other experiences, such as mathematical ability, to construct a sense of belonging in mathematics. There is a specific need to dismantle the view of mathematics solely as a matter of ability and understand that gendered experiences exclude women from the STEM fields. We argue that women's negotiation of their gender as a signifier of belonging in mathematics reinforces patriarchal dominance in the field, where women are discouraged from embracing their gender and acknowledging their roles as "doers of mathematics." This study emphasizes the continued need to address gender in mathematics research and provides implications for equity in mathematical fields through the voices of women students.