Today’s post was brought to my attention by the awesome Samantha Yammine (SamanthaZY on twitter) and she’s been a great leader of the fight against STEM stereotypes.
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| (N.B This is not me! Photo from PIxabay CC0) |
Earlier this week, a popular cosmetics company launched a new product accompanied by a stereotypical slogan that refers to the idea that adorning a made-up face is more important than attending your lessons or lectures. I’m sure you’ve seen this advertisement shared around social media and I don’t think the company needs any more advertisement than the current social media attention it is currently receiving.
All over Twitter and Instagram, women in STEM have been responding with outrage, to the advertisement, sharing their beautiful selfies and their powerful academic credentials.
We, as Women In STEM, will not give in to stereotypes and we will not be silenced. Every one of us is pursuing her career to the fullest, whether we’re in undergrad, masters or PhD level or even in employment but at the same time we’re fighting to break gender stereotypes. Especially the stereotype that says you can’t be successful and take care of your appearance. “You can’t be successful and wear makeup.... You can’t be successful and be fashionable.”
When in actual fact WE ALL CAN and in whatever way we choose to express ourselves.
But NONE of us will skip our classes to do so, nothing tops the importance of education.
Obviously, to be employed in a popular cosmetics company you have to have remarkable credentials, whether you are working in PR or the chemists that formulate the cosmetics. By skipping lectures, their employees wouldn’t have obtained the credentials they needed to work in a leading cosmetics brand and make the company successful.
There is nothing that can prevent us from enjoying makeup, fashion or any other aspect of femininity and being successful in STEM or any other career at the same time. We also do not need any more guilt-tripping every time we try to maintain our femininity in our places of work or study. We are unapologetically feminine, and also successful scientists.
The 1950's attitude which is being used in advertisements in 2017 is not acceptable and will not be accepted as "good advertising". We'd rather skip makeup altogether than skip our lectures.
The 1950's attitude which is being used in advertisements in 2017 is not acceptable and will not be accepted as "good advertising". We'd rather skip makeup altogether than skip our lectures.
It's 2017, how are we still fighting stereotypes in the 21st century? Share your opinions with me below in the comments section.
Makeup is an important part of women's life and Liquid Matte Lipstick is the main pert of it. I can't imagine a single day without my makeup.
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