The Athena Collection
This isn't a completely original idea, and yet, I have not seen it very aggressively executed. And it's a damn good idea.
I want to see a line of dolls, call it the "Athena Collection". These would be dolls/action figures of famous female scholars and scientists, engineers and astronauts. Each doll would come with period outfits and character-appropriate props. Marie Curie, for example, could come with "REAL RADIUM" (in the form of a glowing brick of plastic coated with a very thin layer of the stuff). Ada Lovelace could come with a (moderately functional) model of a mechanical calculator.
There's the obvious reason to want such a line of toys to exist- there needs to be a better alternative to Barbie and Bratz, those parodies of femininity that promote makeup and clothes as female empowerment. If I ever have a daughter, I'd much rather her have role models like Hypatia than Skipper ("Math is hard!").
So, if I ever have a daughter, such a line of toys would be for her to enjoy. Of course, any son of mine would also be welcome to enjoy a line of science-oriented dolls (perhaps there could also be a Hermes Collection of Yuri Gagarin and Francis Bacon and Alan Turing) regardless of the gender of the portrayed scientist. But really, they'd be targeted towards girls (and their parents) as an alternative to the empty promises of Barbie, and would serve (I hope) as an inducement towards the Sciences.
And therein lies the benefit to future generations of males. Geek chicks are hot. If such a line of toys could inspire a generation of girls into geekdom, we all win.
I want to see a line of dolls, call it the "Athena Collection". These would be dolls/action figures of famous female scholars and scientists, engineers and astronauts. Each doll would come with period outfits and character-appropriate props. Marie Curie, for example, could come with "REAL RADIUM" (in the form of a glowing brick of plastic coated with a very thin layer of the stuff). Ada Lovelace could come with a (moderately functional) model of a mechanical calculator.
There's the obvious reason to want such a line of toys to exist- there needs to be a better alternative to Barbie and Bratz, those parodies of femininity that promote makeup and clothes as female empowerment. If I ever have a daughter, I'd much rather her have role models like Hypatia than Skipper ("Math is hard!").
So, if I ever have a daughter, such a line of toys would be for her to enjoy. Of course, any son of mine would also be welcome to enjoy a line of science-oriented dolls (perhaps there could also be a Hermes Collection of Yuri Gagarin and Francis Bacon and Alan Turing) regardless of the gender of the portrayed scientist. But really, they'd be targeted towards girls (and their parents) as an alternative to the empty promises of Barbie, and would serve (I hope) as an inducement towards the Sciences.
And therein lies the benefit to future generations of males. Geek chicks are hot. If such a line of toys could inspire a generation of girls into geekdom, we all win.