Can you imagine what would have happened if Fleming had been born a woman? We probably wouldn’t know what penicillin is today. And the credit for her discoveries would have gone to a fellow researcher… or even her husband.
This phenomenon, known as the Matilda Effect in honor of Matilda Joslyn Gage, the first activist to denounce it, pointed out the injustice that has systematically ignored the findings of brilliant female scientists throughout history.
The AMIT believes that the lack of female role models has an impact on girls’ career aspirations, which translates into a lower presence in STEM careers.
The aim of the campaign is to “draw attention to the lack of female role models in science and the persistence of stereotypes”. They want our colleagues, teachers and families to be aware that the Matilda effect exists and that girls’ ability in science continues to be doubted.
The #NoMoreMatildas campaign wants to recover these figures, taking them to textbooks to awaken with their example, their findings and their contributions, the scientific vocation of all these girls who have been made to think that science was a male thing.
This idea of Gettingbetter Creative Studio, was offered, free of charge, to AMIT. It has the support of the Office of the European Parliament in Spain and the collaboration of Dos Passos Agencia Literaria and Communication and production of Kamestudio.
This wonderful initiative has been awarded in San Sebastian with a silver prize, in the Craft of ideas for non-profit public services and NGOs, and has also been awarded with the Cima Prize, established by the Association of Women Filmmakers together with the Creative Club to promote equality of content and a fairer vision of the role of women in the advertising industry.
We are an association that continues to fight for equal opportunities, but there is still a long way to go.
The value of women’s work must be appreciated and made visible both in the science sector and in other sectors. Let us work together for a fairer world where equality is the guide that directs all our steps.
