Supermodel Super-Power Laden Woman Scientist, Rawr

This summer I've been nannying with a couple of families. One family has two girls, aged 12 and 10. The other family has three kids: there is a 7 year old girl, a 5 year old girl, and an 18 month old boy. Needless to say, I have seen my fair share of Disney this summer, and I have also had a lot of exposure to how younger kids think and how they experience the world around them.

Last week, while with the 12 and 10 year old girls, one of them said, "Which super power would you rather have: would you rather be able to fly or be insanely pretty like a super model?" So, after I waited a minute so that my brain could stop imploding on itself while thinking "WHO THE HELL WOULDN'T CHOOSE FLYING??" and "OH MY GOD DID THAT QUESTION SERIOUSLY JUST HAPPEN?", I said, "Actually, pretty much nobody looks like the pictures in magazines. Like, sure, super models are pretty, but they don't look the way those pictures look. Have you girls heard of Photoshop?" (Heads nod.) "Have you gals ever seen videos of people's pictures being changed using Photoshop?" (No.) I pulled up some images and videos on my laptop so the girls could see how images are changed, and that the images they are presented in teen magazines are not, in fact, representative of how people actually look. For instance, this gem:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPnfjwKfkSk

I did not know at the time that what I was teaching them is called critical literacy, but that's precisely what it is.

I like being able to tie critical literacy into everyday situations like that described above. I am interested, as a scientist and a soon-to-be teacher, in how to incorporate these practices into my science classroom. I imagine that this will most easily be done by examining public policy as it pertains so science, and also encouraging extra credit work that involves reading books that touch on these issues. For instance, The Omnivore's Dilemma goes into some of the science and technology behind how our food sources are manipulated, as well as the public policy that facilitates these practices. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks goes into the sordid history of scientific and medical research that took advantage of minority groups. These books can serve as excellent introductions into critical literacy.

Critical literacy can also be used to tackle ideas about who does science, how, and why. Ever googled "woman scientist" and looked at the images? Oh, please, allow me:

https://www.google.com/search?q=woman+scientist&client=firefox-a&hs=WC2&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=t7vOU5rXC9isyAT2roLoAQ&ved=0CB4QsAQ&biw=1554&bih=746

That's right: we spend our days literally staring at micropipetters and flasks with perfectly tied up (or sexily tousled, rawr) hair. We're all super hot and make surprised faces every time we look at a tube filled with green liquid, too (that green liquid is food coloring in water, FYI). I'm pretty sure those images are way more about making sure men feel more comfortable with women infiltrating a traditionally male field than they are about encouraging young women to pursue science. Don't worry: they're just going to look pretty and stare into space.

I'm not sure how to tie up what is sort of a rant/amused series of observations, other than to say, hey, everybody, show your students this stuff, in whatever way it makes sense in your classroom, and call out the bullshit.