I’m a big fan of the show The Big
Bang Theory. Last week’s episode was about encouraging women and girls to go
into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. I think it was
great for the CBS to do an episode on STEM education because there are way too
few women in these fields. Women have just as much right to be in STEM fields.
For some reason, there are people out there who think men are for some reason
better than women.
In the
beginning of the episode, one of the main characters, Leonard, is concerned
about the lack of female voices in his field. In the episode, Leonard, his colleague
and roommate, Sheldon, and their other friend, Howard, go to a middle school
and talk to the female students about considering careers in STEM. The girls
show no interest in what the scientists have to say. Leonard tries to tell the
girls that science is fun and can be an enjoyment for everyone. Sheldon then
steps in to help. He goes on to explain that science is basically very hard
work and takes patience and time to grow a knack for. Leonard then asks Howard
to step forward and help out. Howard just came back from outer space and tries
to show the girls that they can also by astronauts if they wanted to be.
Leonard finishes off their presentation by saying a science pun, and a student
raised her hand to ask a question. Leonard felt so accomplished when this
student wanted to know a little more about what the scientists do for a living.
Honestly,
it was a very good episode. Each episode tries to end on a message so that the
viewers can take away after watching the episodes. So I hope that female
viewers will consider a career in STEM after watching this episode. CBS wasn’t trying
to push STEM careers upon females, but to encourage them if they want to go in
STEM careers, they can. Basically, CBS wanted to encourage women to follow
their dreams. And if that is in STEM, then go for it! There are even websites
out there that are encouraging women and girls in STEM education. There is this
website called STEM Education Coalition and their mission is to “encourage and
inspire more of our best and brightest students, especially those from
underrepresented or disadvantaged groups, to study in STEM fields.” For me, I
was never a big fan or science or technology, but that shouldn’t stop any other
women from pursuing a career in STEM.
That is cool to here that a popular show featured an issue surrounding women's equality. The Big Bang Theory has some annoying stereotypes (like Penny, the dumb-blonde character) but that is the case and the point (to show personality extremes) of most sit-coms. So I am not that surprised by it. Either, way, the show is meant to reach a certain audience and I know a lot of other women who like the show. The producers must have put this in the show for a reason, maybe they say a need for feminist views on t.v shows? It is cool to see these ideas, no matter how small, in the mainstream.
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