Scientists Wanted: Girls Need Not Apply

Creative Commons License photo credit: Daniel Y. Go

Dear Girls,

Please, please, please do not study science. Despite what the Girl Scouts would have you believe, it’s simply not for you. Robots, space, dinosaurs, computers, engineering, mechanics, and cars (unless they are pink) are strictly for boys. (By the way, that is such a pretty dress you’re wearing!)

We, the manufacturers of everything from toys to clothes to Halloween costumes, have tried to make this clear to you.  In kids’ magazines where science experiments can be found, we’ve tried our darndest to show boys doing the activities. We thought we had made the boundaries fairly obvious by putting science related toys in the Boys’ toy section, making them blue, black and gray, and making all of the pictures on the boxes and associated action figures male.

You girls have your own section in which we’ve made everything pink and sparkly so as to catch your attention. There you will find high heels, salacious Halloween costumes for toddlers (it’s important to start early), and various other things to make you pretty so that you can someday marry the science-oriented man of your dreams who, we would like to point out, is only interested in your looks and most definitely not in your adorable little brain.

We thought you pretty little princesses were getting the message loud and clear. After all, so few of you get science jobs. Hey girls, do me a favor and go get your brothers or dads. I’m about to use some statistics (that’s a kind of math) and you may need some help here.

Only a quarter of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) jobs are held by women. Less than 10% of computer engineering degrees go to women and the number of women getting degrees in Aerospace Engineering, and Information Science has declined in recent years. In this part of North Carolina, sure, the economy depends on well-educated people in STEM careers, but I’m pretty sure we can outperform China without getting girls involved in science.

We recently learned that those pesky Girl Scouts decided to make new badges. Badges for digital movie making and geo-caching and website design. FOR GIRLS!?!? Girl Scouts has a huge STEM initiative, a Robotics program, even a partnership with NASA.

And do you know who is behind this? Well, part of the blame lies squarely with United Way of the Greater Triangle. The Girl Scouts – NC Coastal Plains has been a partner agency of United Way for years. What’s more is that United Way supports girls in STEM education through their Women’s Leadership Council Girls’ Leadership Camp, by providing award winners with laptops (and they weren’t even pink. This sickens us.) United Way’s own Teaming for Technology has been working quietly behind the scenes for over a decade, providing girls with opportunities to learn computer hardware, receive mentoring and take on leadership roles in technology projects. It’s like these people won’t rest until girls think science is for them and start entering STEM careers in large numbers.

In closing, we’d like to remind you that you can get blinded with science. It’s dangerous stuff and best left to the boys.

Sincerely,

The Adults