re: #347 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

There is a pervasive sentiment in American society that girls can’t (or shouldn’t) do STEM subjects. And even when they can, adolescent girls face a stigma of being too nerdy to attract boys, so some will feign disinterest to be more “girly.” As a science teacher, I tried to fight this perception, but it’s difficult to convince a girl that she’s more than capable of designing a toothpick bridge, no matter what her dimbulb boyfriend says.

There’s seems to be a similar social problem in China, but parents here will push a child to excel in everything.

Which is why I think Women’s Studies should start in elementary school.

At least offset some of that peer pressure in the teenage years which says you should be all about being “attractive” and “popular” or you’ll never snag a guy, esp if you’re well educated.

I think teens have it worse today than even we did, esp with instant communication and the kinds of female ‘role models’ they find in popular culture.