Where are the women? Feminist pedagogical analysis of female representation in Turkish biology textbooks

Despite global efforts to promote gender equality in STEM education, female scientists remain underrepresented in educational materials. This study examines the representation of female scientists in Turkish biology textbooks from a feminist science education perspective. Fifteen biology textbooks published between 2014 and 2024 were analyzed through qualitative content analysis using Zittleman and Sadker’s gender bias criteria. Female scientists accounted for only 3.8% of all representations and were largely portrayed in superficial or supportive roles, while male scientists remained the dominant figures of scientific authority. Despite recent curriculum reforms emphasizing inclusivity and gender equality, these patterns persist across the textbooks analyzed, highlighting the limitations of policy-level changes in challenging entrenched gender stereotypes. Grounded in feminist pedagogy, the study argues that genuine gender equality in science education requires more than numerical representation; it necessitates a transformation of cultural assumptions that continue to frame science as a predominantly male domain.