It’s
difficult to provoke me enough to feel upset these days. But the European
Commission seems to have succeeded today. And judging by the comments on social
media, I’m not the only one affected by this. Men and women seem equally upset.
Comments vary widely from people ‘laughing out loud’ to people nauseously ‘throwing
up’, in rhetorical terms at least. What am I talking about?
The
European Commission campaign to promote young women to consider a career in
science or research; 'Science: It’s a girl thing!' A friend of mine, a young female EU-sponsored PhD
candidate, spotted some of the campaigning live outside the EU Parliament last
week. Her comment today, as the topic is discussed on social media, is that “I'm
glad that it isn't just me who wonder why they spend so much time and money
trying to reinforce gender stereotypes”. I’ve even heard men expressing that
they feel insulted by the content of the campaign. How can it go so wrong?
I obviously
have no idea. But I’m curious to know. I’m pretty sure neither young women nor
researchers were consulted for this campaign. What I don’t want to know is how
much the European Commission paid for the production of this campaign which
deserves to hit the history books as a big joke.
Take a look
at the campaign video (below). Instead of communicating ‘science as the new black’, it’s
rather communicating ‘science as the new pink’. Glossy pink. With lipstick and
high heels. In short, I’d describe it as a Spice Girls-inflicted James
Bond-movie inspired trailer. If that’s what we want out of life, we’d go to
Hollywood instead of a European research lab. And speaking of American film
production, I’d say that CBS Television out measures the European Commission
attempt in attracting women to science. How? Simply by developing a character like
Abby Sciuto to be in charge of the Navy CIS forensic lab.
Then why is
Abby Sciuto so attractive? She is brains
with a personality. In this very case a very charming gothic styled young woman
who nearly always solves the intricate mysteries with a combination of
imagination and intelligence. Don’t get me wrong here, dear European Commission;
I’d actually be the first one to defend high heels and a colourful wardrobe
(including glossy pink) for a female researcher (or male for that matter) if
that’s the personal preference. I know that I did an active choice during my
first weeks as a researcher to maintain and express my personality in a formal
hierarchical male dominated work environment. But it takes strength.
So really,
that might be the first thing we need to discuss when we want to attract young
women to secure the future research in Europe, or just anywhere: How to make
room for young adults, individual expression and feminine force in more stiff,
formal, traditional, male dominated hierarchies.
The other
thing we definitely need to appeal to if we want to attract young women (or ‘girls’
as the EC campaign refers to) is personal driving force. That is what makes you
choose a career path and follow that. That is what makes you get out of the bed
every morning and passionately carry on your important work five days a week or
more, year after year. Our plausible passion for creative clothing and dancing,
we’ll take care of after work. I promise you that, European Commission. Don’t
worry, we can both be brilliant and look brilliant. But only if we really want
to.
