The Obvious Reason Why More Girls Aren't Scientists

Every other day, until July 31, I'll be sharing a news article (and get back to one or more articles every day in August). Most of 'em detail what governments are trying to do to get girls interested in careers in science, or wondering why there aren't more women scientists out there.

What is the real reason?

Mass media.

Look at the TV shows we see today, and the barrage of commercials for each TV show. Look at the movies that come out.

Even if a TV show or movie shows a "strong, independent" woman, she is invariably beautiful, and has no problem falling into bed at the drop of a hat with a handsome man.

But sitcoms? What do these teach kids? That beautiful women can be married to fat guys, but never vice versa. (I'm thinking The King of Queens. Life According to Bill (or whatever it's called). Then there's the abominations of Two and a Half Men, and the Big Bang Theory.

I liked the Big Bang Theory when it first started, for all that Penny, the dumb blonde roommate, was a bit too dumb (has she done anything about her check engine light yet?) But when they introduced a girlfriend for Sheldon, who is supposed to be the "female Sheldon" but instead cries and spoons and melts when Sheldon gives her a tiara and crap like that - it's an insult to all women scientists everywhere - for all that the actress who plays her Mayim Bailik, actually is a scientist and probably brighter than all of her co-stars.

Who are the women scientists on Big Bang Theory? A cold psychiatrist mother for Leonard, who nevertheless will get drunk and kiss Sheldon (although actually it was pretty funny to see them playing Guitar  Hero), Leslie Winkle who only wants sex and discards Leonard after she gets it, a physicist friend of Sheldon's who visits him and will  have sex with anyone... the list goes on.

How about cartoons?  We've got "Dora the Explorer," with Dora just exploring, but it's her sidekick Diego who stars in Go, Diego, Go, about a boy who goes places and actually rescues things. We've got Horseland, about a bunch of girls learning dressage, but who are invariably more concerned with finding boyfriends, or at least getting acknowledged as important by some boy.

Then there's things like Green Screen TV which shows adults acting stupidly...I can't watch it long enough to know what they're actually trying to accomplish.

There's Jimmy Neutron. Jimmy's the scientist, and he's badgered by a red-haired neighborhood girl who is a bossy know it all.

There's Arthur, whose little sister thinks she knows it all

There was a cartoon about a mad scientist...I'm blanking on the name - he talked with a German accent - and of course his sister is blonde and a total airhead...

Women fair somewhat better in drama shows - Mariska Hargitay in SVU - but of course every victim in that show is a woman...

The only Law and Order spin-off to have a woman in the lead either bombed or was never given a change to find its audience (not sure which)

THere's Psych, with an extrovert guy who behaves like an utter jerk - let a woman try to behave like that and see how soon she's squashed down.

And of course there's the spin-offs, The Mentalist, and now Perception... the guys are soooo smart and their female sidekicks just try to keep up.

Yes, there are a couple of female cop buddy shows - Rizzoli and Isles. ...Rizzoli and Isles. The only woman on The Closer is Brenda Lee Johnson the lead... I think Covert Affairs has a woman in the lead and a male side kick, and there was Alias...

But really, the proportions are in no way equal.