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Fact: There’s a prominent gender gap in our workforce, some areas more than others. Women being vastly outnumbered in STEM fields, in leadership roles and in the startup space. And a big part of the problem is that girls are dismissing these possibilities from a shockingly early age.
Studies have shown that as early as middle school, girls start to feel like faculties like math and science aren’t their strong suits. It’s mostly mental: A lack of confidence and female role models makes it hard for them to see themselves as an engineer or a CEO. That’s why a new venture, Little Ms. Crate, is addressing that problem.
Girls pretend to be powerhouses
Little Ms. Crate is on the final stretch of its Kickstarter campaign with 3 days left to raise the $5,000 left to meet its goal. With this money, the venture is hoping to intervene at an early age, molding girls’ mentalities, so they believe they can succeed in STEM or leadership areas later in life. And the initial inspiration for it all was the impending fatherhood of Founder, Reid Craig III.
Craig is now the proud father of a 15-month-old baby girl, but before she was even born, he was mulling over how to be a good dad and how to make life the best it can be for his child.
He told me: "I was mentally preparing myself for the arrival and started thinking, 'What’s this baby going to be like? If I have a daughter- which is awesome - how can I make sure she doesn’t fall prey to social pressure? I don't want her to be discouraged and close off opportunities.'"
So Craig did some homework, extensively researching early childhood development, and came up with a product that he'd like his own daughter to use one day.
What exactly will a Little Ms. Crate subscription entail? Each month, girls age 5 to 10 will receive a box containing the tools for a different make-believe scenario. But these aren’t about princesses and fairies. Girls will be able to imagine themselves as biochemists, corporate executives and any number of other kinds of professionals in fields conventionally dominated by men.
For example, the CEO box will feature business cards and an executive name placard that girls can fill in with their own names. It will also offer components that prompt interaction, such as materials they could use to pretend interview job candidates.
Making a lasting impression on our youth
Little Ms. Crate doesn’t stop there. It will also teach them about prominent women in each profession, explaining these female role models’ amazing accomplishments and how they’ve impacted their field. Craig said that this information will be presented as narratives, giving more insight into influential women's personal lives to appeal to girls learning tendencies.
"They go into more emotional relationship background, which boys are less interested in," he explained. "It will give girls more color about all of the ways they can live their lives and have a career."
The hope is that, by showing girls that they are capable of pursuing these professions while they are still impressionable, they won’t lose interest or confidence in their STEM-related coursework. If they’re able to picture themselves as these professionals through play and are fully aware of the women who have excelled before them, they will be less likely to write off all of the possibilities available in life.
"It’s not that girls need remedial training in math and science," Craig began. "A girl tends to underestimate her own skills in these subjects, which makes her less likely to pursue them. Girls become either not interested or they feel that STEM isn’t interested in them."
"If math or science doesn’t seem welcoming, they're likely to indulge their curiosities in other subjects," he concluded.
Image via Reid Craig III.
