Intersecting Sexuality and Gender: STEM Confidence, Preparation and Aspirations Among American High Schoolers

• In Event: Sociology of Education Section Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 29. Gender, Schooling, and Society pt. 1

Abstract

Sociologists have demonstrated that the gender gap in STEM varies across race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and school contexts. However, little research has explored an increasingly visible axis of social identity—sexuality—which is inherently intertwined with gender. To address this gap, this study introduces a Dual Construction Framework which posits that both individual identities and the gendered construction of STEM fields shape the relationship between sexual orientation and STEM educational outcomes. I test this framework by analyzing 11,180 adolescents from the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009. Results reveal that, compared to straight men, gay men have higher STEM GPAs but are less likely to aspire to a STEM major after controlling for GPA. In contrast, among women, non-straight women had either lower or similar high school STEM GPAs compared to their straight counterparts, with no significant differences in STEM aspirations. Further analyses of STEM confidence and identity suggest distinct sexual orientation patterns between math and science. Overall, the findings largely support the Dual Construction Framework, underscoring the importance of considering both gender and sexuality in STEM stratification, as well as the gendered construction of social roles in shaping the academic and career trajectories of individuals with intersecting social identities.

Author

• Rui Cao, The Ohio State University