“The world and our perceptions have changed a lot, even since the '70s, but there are lingering stereotypes. If you ask an 11-year-old to draw a scientist, she's likely to draw a geeky guy with a pocket protector. That's just not an image an 11-year-old girl aspires to. As she looks on the Web, she sees men as scientists. That's not particularly appealing to tween girls. And if an 11-year-old girl says she wants to be an engineer, she'll likely get a different reaction from peers than she would if a boy her age said the same thing, and maybe even different reactions from teachers and parents.”
More from Sally Ride
“My parents must have done a great job. Anytime I wanted to pursue something that they…”
“We've always thought of ourselves as an innovative country that keeps at the forefront, a…”
“Over the many years since my flight, it became clear to me there are a lot of kids,…”
“Looking back on it, it never really occurred to me that I couldn’t accomplish anything I…”