Is it just me who doesn't see the sexism? This is the typical experience of every student regardless of gender, it is messed up but working harder doesn't defeat the system it validates it you should never let yourself be manipulated into working more than you wish or can without endangering your health or passion for the field.
Even if you choose to leave you don't have to give up on your passions.
I for one would never give up chemistry if i really loved it, sure it would be a lot harder without getting a PHD but who the hell cares I'm doing it for myself and will do whatever it takes to get what i want without endangering my health or love for the field.
If it takes me building my own lab and my own company to support my financial needs then so be it.
One is blatant - i.e. sexual harassment, prejudice, and discrimination.
The second is latent - i.e. the "typical experience of every student," as you put it, impacts people differently depending on a number of things including their gender. By not taking those individual differences into consideration, the culture of STEM forces women to work harder to fit in and balance their gender-specific circumstances.
Even if you choose to leave you don't have to give up on your passions.
I for one would never give up chemistry if i really loved it, sure it would be a lot harder without getting a PHD but who the hell cares I'm doing it for myself and will do whatever it takes to get what i want without endangering my health or love for the field.
If it takes me building my own lab and my own company to support my financial needs then so be it.