Games and Contests

Will ‘Miss Possible’ Dolls Encourage Girls to Pursue Careers in Math and Science?

A report released by BBC this year suggests that the toys children play with have a strong correlation with career fields they are interested in.

Equal opportunity activists are campaigning for toy stores to organize their shelves by genre, rather than by gender, allowing children to cultivate genuine interest rather than perpetuate gender stereotypes. Miss Possible, a new doll modeled after real female pioneers in the fields of math and science, will soon hit shelves with the intention of alleviating gender stereotypes and encouraging girls to pursue male-dominated careers. Within BBC’s article, Neil Sinclair, former Commando and current child- care worker explains that, “the crucial thing with toys is to give children choice.” We are not suggesting a ban on Barbies or bake sets, simply agreeing with Sinclair’s assessment that children should be supplied with more choices.

Miss Possible

The Miss Possible site shares how co-founders Supriya Hobbs and Janna Eaves intend to “shake up what opportunities girls see for themselves by showing them women who succeeded in many fields.”

The Miss Possible dolls scheduled to be released include:

 

Children are sure to be encouraged by the dolls, noting that their human counterparts were once young girls who grew to accomplish great feats. A study conducted by a psychology student at Washington and Lee University concluded that young girls perceptions of obtainable careers were shifted once they saw a female doll dressed for non-traditional female careers such as firefighting or space science. Miss Possible would essentially be remedying the findings of such studies by presenting dolls with experience in those fields that are in dire need of more women.

What types of toys do your children play with? Have you noticed a correlation between their preferred toys and what they want to be when they grow up?

 

MissPossible_InPostImage

 Be on the look-out for online activities that coordinate with Miss Possible and her passions.

Image Credit – Miss Possible

 

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