I took my first philosophy class in my freshman year. I was placed in it randomly for my January Term. Honestly, the idea of studying the topic petrified me. In my mind, philosophers were mostly middle-aged or older men, all of whom were utterly brilliant and had that je ne sais quoi that made them capable of philosophizing. I now recognize that my perceptions were both misguided and the natural result of this male-dominated field.

Contrary to what most believe, from Diotima and Laura Bassi to Hannah Arendt and Judith Jarvis Thomson, female philosophers exist throughout history. Their ideas have produced seminal works in political philosophy, ethics, feminist existentialism and other fields. For example, the 20th-century English philosopher Philippa Foot is known to have come up with the trolley problem, a thought experiment still commonly used in discussions of ethics. Similarly, Harriet Taylor Mill’s writings were often incorporated into the publications of her husband — the renowned utilitarian John Stewart Mill. The influence of female philosophers is indisputable. Nevertheless, the percentage of women in the field of philosophy in academia remains dangerously low.

According to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, between 1987 and 2014, philosophy had one of the smallest proportion of women earning degrees in the field in the U.S. Recent data indicate that only approximately 31 percent of undergraduate students in philosophy are women. These numbers indicate that there is something actively preventing females from participating in the field.

One reason for the disparity could be that women do not feel that many philosophy classes are relatable to them, so they choose not to progress further in their studies. One could imagine that the underrepresentation of female philosophers in syllabi — except for perhaps specifically feminist philosophy classes — contributes to young women’s disinterest in the subject.

This problem is not limited to students or the U.S. Gender disparities also exist when it comes to faculty members in philosophy departments internationally. For instance, women make up only 28.8 percent of female philosophy teaching staff in the U.K. The underrepresentation of women in faculty is mirrored in journal publications. Analyses of philosophical journals have revealed that only about 14 to 16 percent of contributions are published by women.

Throughout history, women were not always even permitted to get an education. While some countries, such as Italy, were more progressive in this sense, other places were not. For example, Oxford University did not admit their first female student until 1870, and German universities only began accepting full-time female students during the mid to late 1800s. This undoubtedly contributed to the lack of female representation in philosophy and many other academic fields.

In the last 150 years, educational opportunities for women have progressed significantly. However, certain limitations remain. Philosophy is still considered to be dominated by and associated with men. Even when one simply types the word “philosopher” into a Google search, one is met with images of the likes of Plato, Heraclitus and Nietzsche. Many people still view the archetypal philosopher as male.

While the challenge of philosophy is what keeps many students interested in the field, the difficulty should be limited to the studied material, rather than women’s ability to thrive in it. More than two years after my first class, I am on my way to obtaining a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy. I cannot be happier that I managed to overcome stereotypes and convince myself that there is no reason why I, as a woman, can’t become a philosopher.