Stanford Supports Nineteen Percent's Riposte to Beyonce

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Dear friends of women in science,

I've been a bit bemused by Beyonce's song about Girl Power, how girls run the world. Then there appeared on YouTube a video by a woman who called herself nineteen percent, who took on Beyonce's song and brought up data against what the song says. You can see it here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p72UqyVPj54&feature=share). All of that information was in the category of interesting pop culture to me.

But then the Clayman women and gender studies institute at Stanford picked up the cudgels on the side of nineteen percent who made the critical video, producing a fact sheet about the issues she talks about. You can find the fact sheet here: http;//gender.stanford.edu. Their Fact Sheet pdf is a nice, documented collection of the facts of women's abuse, pay inequity, the dearth of women in the entertainment industry's upper echelons, and other relevant matters. There are clickable links to relaible sources for all of the data showing women's lack of running many facets of the world.

I'm curious, if you had been in charge at the Clayman Institute, would you have thought it was a good idea to make up such a fact sheet? Is it drawing attention to something you'd like to brush aside, or is it an important debunking of assertions that can hold back women's rights? Does believing we're there and all is equal likely to get in the way of women's continuing progress?

Cheers,

Laura

5 Comments | Post a Comment

Aw, it's hard for me to believe you really thing that sort of thing matters, really. It's just pop culture junk. I don't think we take it seriously, we who have grown up overdosed with commercials are quick to recognize them when we see them, and to know they "ain't necessarily so" and all that. I can't believe it would affect a girl's self esteem unduly myself.

From: Postdoc Cat | June 22, 2011

Hi Kathy, Kimiko and Marian for Math,
Well, we certainly represent the diversity of opinions possible on this issue! On balance, I think Marian is where I am. Although one of my friends complained that the Clayman was taking this so seriously when it was "only pop culture" I do think we struggle against the perception that THE PROBLEM OF WOMEN IN SCIENCE and SOCIETY IS SOLVED. If that's true, men need do nothing about it.
cheers,
Laura

From: Laura Hoopes | June 22, 2011

I think that one of the largest issues facing women today is that people thing that the discrimination problems that existed in the 60s have been fixed. Many feel that there is no need to try to recruit women, legislate equity issues, etc. Let's get statistics out that show clear discrimination!

From: Marian for Math | June 22, 2011

I think the song is cute and I doubt if girls will be fooled, or if they are, they will get over it quickly. It might even help their self-esteem to think they are part of a group that runs the world. This seems silly to be, I would not worry about it Laura.

From: Kimiko | June 22, 2011

I think it's very confusing to girls to hear (sing repeatedly) that girls run the world and then run into reality within a couple of years. They might think there is something wrong with them, that they cannot really run the world but all the other girls can. I think nineteen percent was right to post her video. But I have mixed feelings about the Clayman jumping in.

From: Kathy S | June 22, 2011

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