Hollywood characters inspire generations of women in STEM
Hollywood isn’t a place gender roles are typically destroyed but a string of hugely successful blockbusters are proving otherwise.
Last year, the big screen gave us diverse and high-quality portrayals of women and girls in STEM. Those who dismiss the importance of this should know that such portrayals have significant impact on young women and how they view themselves as well as the occupations they pursue.
An analysis by the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media found that there was only one female character shown in STEM jobs for every 15 male characters. Disappointing? Yes. Shocking? Not the slightest bit.
“When girls in their formative years don’t see female characters on screen as biochemists, software developers, engineers, or statisticians, they are less likely to imagine or pursue those career paths for themselves,” Geena Davis said.
To learn more, read "Why these Hollywood blockbusters are inspiring female STEM students everywhere" from Study International.
About the Author
Alexis GajewskiAlexis Gajewski
Senior Content Strategist
Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.
During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand’s digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.
Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.
Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor.
Connect with Alexis on LinkedIn