Poor Presentation is a More Accurate Title

The essay “Underrepresentation or Misrepresentation” by Doreen Kimura has a large focus on inherent abilities amongst men and women. Kimura focuses on the other and lesser thought of side of the argument, the side that concerns the deliberate discrimination against men in favor of women. Kimura begins the essay by addressing the fact that the underrepresentation of men in fields such as nursing and education is not addressed nearly as much as the underrepresentation of women in math and science because it is assumed that men are just not as interested in some fields. Next, Kimura presents evidence from studies to show that males and females have different abilities and strengths. Another argument that Kimura presents is that cognitive differences are related to the amount of both prenatal and current levels of the sex hormone androgen. She adds that the sex hormone findings were also replicated in nonhumans such as rats implying that the difference between men and women was physical. In unison with the hormones affecting abilities, Kimura suggests that childhood activities are related to what people choose to do when they are older because that is how the basis for their jobs are created. To end the essay, Kimura again highlights that men are being discriminated against when women are given preference in certain positions because she states that women are not always as qualified as the men are.

My reaction to this chapter is a sharp contrast from the first chapter because the first chapter was more supporting of women, whereas this chapter pertained more to how opportunities were being given to undeserving women and that they should have been given to more deserving men who are being discriminated against. I understand what the author is trying to say, because I am sure that some men may feel as if they are being slighted, but I think Kimura is ignoring the fact that women have been going through this for many years. Over the years, better qualified women have been passed over because they are women, so by giving more and more opportunities to women, society is attempting to undo the wrong. In addition, the data about men and women having different abilities set off some red flags for me because the first chapter more convincingly argued that talent and abilities could be nurtured rather being fixed as suggested by the second chapter. I also think that the way Kimura presented evidence on the hormone studies was poor because she presented bits and pieces of the effects the hormone had rather than a whole study that would have been more convincing. All in all, I think that the information presented by Kimura was not backed up well enough for me to personally believe what she was saying and I think that she did not take into perspective the opposing views to her argument which made them appear stronger in my opinion.

Kimura’s argument in regards to deliberately discriminating against men made me think of how affirmative action in regards to college admissions works. I thought of affirmative action because colleges and universities have been trying to make more and more diverse classes of students in a similar manner to how women were being favored for some positions in Kimura’s essay. The fact that a similar method is used by colleges and universities looking for more diverse students and by companies looking to hire more women made me think Kimura ever considered that this may actually be the best way to give certain groups of people the push that they deserve.

In summary, this essay made me think a lot about the research regarding innate abilities amongst men and women, and about how the gap between men and women is trying to be closed. I generally disagree with most of the things that Kimura had to say in her essay; however, I think it is valid for her to try to look at the other side of the argument. I agree more with the first chapter that argued that everyone is capable of increasing their abilities and talents rather than being born with a certain set because it is both more optimistic and more valid in my opinion.