the manifesto
1. BECAUSE we want educational experiences that are
satisfying and fulfilling, and yet we often feel alienated
and inadequate while working within the fields we are
passionate about.
2. BECAUSE intellectually curious, analytical women and especially intellectually curious, analytical,
feminine women - are rarely represented by mainstream female archetypes. A scarcity of analytical girl
narratives in popular culture makes it difficult for us to
form authentic identities. It’s hard to relate to a subculture when archetypical members of the subculture are
necessarily male!
3. BECAUSE girls often feel pressured to prove that
they are sincere and committed about their professed
intellectual interests. When men constitute the “incrowd” of a particular discipline or subculture, they
become the gatekeepers, and women must look to them
for acceptance.
4. BECAUSE the exotification of analytical girls fosters
a dynamic in which girls must compete with each other
for respect from the larger (male) group. Men will often
express appreciation and respect for their analytical girl
peers simply because they’re analytical girls - i.e, “It’s
really cool that you’re into Bayesian logic, most girls aren’t into that kinda stuff.” As a result, a woman may feel
as though she has been accepted into the group because
she is unusual. To remain accepted, she must remain
unusual. As a result, she may feel threatened (perhaps
against her better judgement) by fellow analytical girls.