One of the reasons that I am so excited about being a physics and engineering teacher is that I get to be part of the introduction of science to girls. So when I see videos like this, my first thought is “This is so f*&%#d up.” There are so many times that as females, society tells us that we are expected to act/look/feel a certain way and this video only plays into those stereotypes. Yes…makeup and hair companies need chemists…but really? Is that the only way you think that you are going to get girls into science?
https://youtube.com/watch?v=oZtMmt5rC6g
Link to video Science, It’s a Girl Thing
One of the things that I try to do in my class is to showcase all different types of scientists in the different fields that we study. This is why this past year I incorporated a physicists board in my room where I put up current scientists related to the field that we are studying, incorporating men and women and a variety of ethnic/racial backgrounds.
Here’s a great article about it. Hey Girls, You Can Make Lipstick With Science!
Related articles
- Girlie scientist role models could do more harm than good(bps-research-digest.blogspot.de)
- The Dark Side of Stereotypes(toorowdy.com)
- Women in Research and Innovation- An initiative of the European Commission(alltheglobalnews.wordpress.com)
- On the Scientist Stereotype(astronomycommunication.com)
- Science Museum gift shop offers girls “space princess” tees and other stereotypes(rebeccahains.wordpress.com)