Jane Cosmetics at 2014 Championship

[BThompson]

From my perspective which is that of a female who has always been "one of the guys" or a "tomboy" and very involved in working on my team's robot, I just wanted to share my thoughts on this subject. I have been in FIRST for ten years going from FLL to FTC to FRC and have been on fabrication, electrical, and programming subgroups.

I went to Worlds this year as a Dean's List Finalist and heard both of Lynn Tilton's talks. I can't say for sure what Ms. Tilton wanted to communicate, but the message I got was: "Okay, as a female, you have done robotics, but I'm here to make you look pretty/girly!" She was in the perfect position to encourage girls to get involved in the STEM side of robotics, but she made no mention of it. Of the 11 kids on my team this year, six of us were girls, but I was the only one who would work on the robot. The other girls on the team were comfortable with writing and public relations, but attempts to get them to help with the robot were not successful. They felt like programming and building was for the guys. If Ms. Tilton had come in with her helicopters, as she said she could have, what a great female role model it would have been for the rest of the girls on my team. But by bringing in her cosmetic products instead, she missed an opportunity to encourage females to get involved in STEM fields.

Ms. Tilton's cosmetic booth was not the only time I felt girls were being stereotyped at Championships. As a Dean's List Finalist I was told that I would have a picture taken with Mr. Noel Lee, President of Monster. We were told, "Mr. Lee would like you to pick a set of headphones. Put them around your neck for the picture." There were two colors available: pink and matte black. Never having liked pink I asked for the black set to wear for the picture but was told, "No, you must wear the pink ones." Just because I am a girl?

Not all girls want to wear makeup and like all things pink. I was deeply saddened at Championship to see girls stereotyped in these ways. FIRST is in a unique position to encourage girls to get involved in the STEM fields, but they missed some great opportunities in St. Louis to do just that.