If you haven’t guessed by now, I have issues with marketing that is used to subjugate or diminish the inherent possibilities of something that might be classified as good for the world. Science is good for the world.
“Girl Science” is a class offered by our local park district for young girls in the community. “Girl Science” is not good for the world.
Now before anyone goes crazy and thinks the people behind this are evil, let’s take a step back and realize that it is probably done with the best of intention and they shouldn’t be demonized in any way.
With that said, the idea behind “Girl Science” is to learn about and produce one’s own cosmetics. This is for grades 3 to 8. Let’s leave marketing make-up to third graders for another post.
Why is this even a class? When it comes down to it, this is a class that promotes make-up for young girls, differentiates between real science and “Girl Science”, and is in general an instance of pandering to women. The idea that girls \ woman cannot be interested in actual science is absurd. If we train our children that nothing is interesting unless it comes with a ribbon on top and covered in pretty things, then that’s how our children will develop.
If you haven’t had a good luck at toys \ apparel \ merchandise in general that is marketed to children, please take a few moments to do so. You might find that a boy might get a mural of the planets, while a girl gets a mural of a unicorn. You might find that a boy has a t-shirt with the saying “Science is Awesome!”, while a girl gets a shirt that says “Princess”. You might find that a boy gets a book about outer space from Santa, while a girl gets a book about a bratty group of girls that go night-clubbing.
On the flip side, there are educational and fun things for boys and girls out there, but just step back and look at the overall picture of what is really being marketed to our children, especially young girls. It’s just scary. If we keep on going in this direction, we are going to have real issues with getting our daughters (and sons) into science, math or anything else that might make the world better.
Once again I fully agree with you on this one.
Our children are being the victims of a marketing spectacle which chooses to dismiss what is important (i.e. education, health, safety, confidence, savings, friendship and relationships) and teach and broadcast to children things that wouldn’t matter as such many years down the line.
A shirt labelled ‘Princess’ is alright but market these shirts as must haves or make these children believe this is REALLY what they are is wrong! Children should not have to go through a rude-awakening when they are older and come to realise the world is a tough place and a serious place.
Check out the website http://www.mindcandyclothing.com. It focuses on science in girly clothing styles.
Hey there are some good items in there. Anything to bolster the brainy potential in young ladies is a good thing.
It would be nice if that was a handicapped accessible website though.
Thanks for the link.