“Who’s a pretty girl?”
This seemingly innocuous question may be doing more harm than many might think, with a new ad from Verizon showing how girls become gradually pulled away from science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects as they grow up.
The video follows Samantha as she grows from toddler to teenager; walking through a forest, learning to count, playing with a starfish, building a space rocket for the science fair. Yet throughout all these adventures a great deal of social influence seems to discourage her efforts. “Don’t get your dress dirty,” she is told as she totters through a shallow riverbed. “Give that to your brother,” says her father as she carefully uses a power drill to complete a science project.
Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XP3cyRRAfX0
Statements like these pull Samantha away from her scientific endeavors, ultimately pushing her away from the projects she had adored as child. In high school she looks absently at a science fair poster, only to pull out a lip gloss and use the glass as a mirror –there’s not even a flicker of interest as she walks away with friends.
It is crucial that support and encouragement is available to young girls – despite 66% of fourth grade girls saying they enjoy science and math, only 18% of college engineering majors are female.
The video – titled Inspire Her Mind – encourages parents and teachers to support young girls’ interest in STEM subjects: “Encourage their love of science and technology and inspire her to change the world” is the message of the video. Now, who’s a clever girl?
