It Was Never a Dress

Filed under "empowerment"
Published Thursday, May 7, 2015
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A brilliant new social media campaign has been launched to change the stereotypes about females in the workforce: #ItWasNeverADress

Released this week at a Girls in Tech event, the campaign encouraged girls to honor the “super-cool women all over the world.” According to its website, this project intends to: shift perceptions and assumptions about women and the audacious, sensitive, and powerful gestures they make every single day.

Created by Tania Katan, a coding technology expert with computer software company Axosoft, the message includes a symbol recreating the generic symbol we see on women’s restrooms. Rather than seeing the woman wearing a dress, the campaign shows the woman wearing a long cape – forever changing our view of this universal symbol.

What’s unique about this campaign is its simplicity, which is meant to foster conversation about women’s contributions to “science, technology, arts, mathematics, politics, houses of workshop, on the streets, and in our homes,” inviting us all to see women differently.

We know that introducing the world of science and technology early in life, showing its relevance to everyday activities, and having families and educators encourage exploration has a markedly stronger impact on education and career choice. And focus on the “culture” of the workplace, along with promotion opportunities, will ensure that women stay in these careers for the long-term.

With the help of Board member Tracy Linbo, we are deep into the development of a STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) curriculum for our after-school programs that will bring female professional scientists from DuPont Pioneer into the after-school setting to conduct experiments, explore nature and agriculture, and be role models for adolescent girls. This is proven to change girls’ interest and confidence in all STEM fields, and is a key aspect of Chrysalis After-School’s approach to academic and career success.