Deep into 2008, women still earn far less than men, only 16 of 100 U.S. senators are women, and a mere 13 Fortune 500 CEOs are women. On the surface, it's still a man's world, baby.
But if college enrollment is any indication, it won't be for much longer. Thirty years ago, women were the clear minority. But now they vastly outpace men in enrollment and completion, and the divide is growing. The most recent figures show 76,558 more women than men enrolled in Florida community colleges and 38,429 more enrolled in its universities.
The brain gap starts way before college. In K-12, boys are much more likely than girls to struggle in reading, to be labeled as learning disabled, to be expelled. And they're less likely to graduate.
Most of the education establishment has responded with a collective shrug. But some are angry. After author Peg Tyre wrote a Newsweek cover story about the "boys' crisis" in 2006, one woman complained, "We're on top for a nanosecond and it's a crisis?"
Good point. Here's the counter: If you think a good man is hard to find now, you ain't seen nothing yet.
THE PERCENTAGE OF FLORIDA MALES VS. FEMALES AT VARIOUS LEVELS OF SCHOOLING
Bachelor's degree completion, 2006-07
Male: 40 percent (25,936)
Female: 60 percent (38,819
University enrollment, 2007-08
Male: 43 percent (127,822)
Female: 57 percent (166,251)
Community college enrollment, 2007-08
Male: 40 percent (154,186)
Female: 60 percent (230,744
Florida high school diplomas, 2006-07
Male: 48 percent (64,874)
Female: 52 percent (71,202)
Kindergarten enrollment, 2007-08
Male: 52 percent (102,874)
Female: 48 percent (94,569)
COLLEGE ENROLLMENT BY GENDER AROUND THE TAMPA BAY AREA
University of South Florida (Fall 2008)
Male: 16,325 (42 percent)
Female: 22,739 (58 percent)
University of South Florida St. Petersburg (Fall 2008)
Male: 1,345 (36 percent)
Female: 2,398 (64 percent)
Hillsborough Community College (2007-08)
Male: 9,424 (42 percent)
Female: 13,197 (58 percent)
Pasco-Hernando Community College (2007-08)
Male: 2,818 (35 percent)
Female: 5,247 (65 percent)
St. Petersburg College (2007-08)
Male: 9,436 (37 percent)
Female: 16,014 (63 percent)
GENDER GAP IN OTHER AREAS
U.S. House of Representatives
Male: 365
Female: 70
Lawyers
Male: 68 percent
Female: 32 percent
Florida teachers
Male: 21 percent
Female: 79 percent
Registered nurses
Male: 6 percent
Female: 94 percent
Boys crisis author to speak in Clearwater
Peg Tyre, author of the bestselling The Trouble with Boys, will speak at 12:45 p.m. Wednesday in the Arts Auditorium on the Clearwater campus of St. Petersburg College, 2465 Drew St. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call (727) 791-2623.
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