[redditmigrant]

If you agree to the basic principle that scientific ability and thought is equally prevalent amongst men and women, having fewer women scientists means we are not getting and developing the best scientific minds. Having as many women as men also means a you girl doesnt think science is for boys only which again means we potentially miss out on good/great scientific minds purely because they self-select out.

So if you are in favor of STEM getting the best STEM minds, its important for STEM fields to reflect that STEM is for everyone. Having as many women as men is a step in that direction.

[TheOtherHobbes]

We are not getting and developing the best scientific minds anyway. Not by a long way.

[topmonk]

IQ tests show there are a greater number of men with very high IQs than women, and scientific ability highly correlates with IQ, so your “basic principle” doesn't hold muster.

[elliekelly]

Do you have a source for this? How can we be reasonably certain IQ assessments aren't inherently gender-biased? Is IQ directly-correlated to scientific contribution?

Richard Feynman's IQ was famously average though his scientific contributions to society were most certainly not.

[topmonk]

http://iqcomparisonsite.com/SexDifferences.aspx

http://www.randalolson.com/2014/06/25/average-iq-of-students...

Richard Feynman is the exception that proves the rule.