the new girl-gmw

Girl Meets Stem pt. 3

"It all started with Eve. Women have been treated as second-class citizens ever since. Thank goodness for strong women like Queen Elizabeth, then Susan B. Anthony helped get women the vote, and then Betty Friedan wrote The Feminine Mystique, and then Riley Matthews and Rachel Prescott refused to drop the marbles, and then here we are." I say

"You had one job to do," Farkle tells us.

"You mean, take care of the babies, Farkle," Riley says.

"What? How long have I been out?" Farkle says nervously.

"We're making a stand." Riley and I say in unison.

"How could you let her do this?" Farkle asks Maya.

"They're on a mission, Farkle. Have you met them?" Maya says.

"Riley, Rachel, you don't actually think Farkle had you drop the marble because you're a girl, do you?" Lucas asks us.

"We were all girls, Lucas. Every single set of lab partners sent the girl." Riley says.

"Yes. That's interesting, isn't it?" Mr. Norton says.

"What is that?" I ask.

"I'll tell you what it is. It's a redo. They failed. I didn't fail. I want a redo! I want a redo, man!" Farkle asks.

"No redo. Equal responsibility. One shared grade." Mr. Norton says.

"That's right. We should be equal. Why do you guys think we're the ones who should drop the marble while you figure out the science." I say.

"Hey, it's not like you guys begged us to do it. Did you wanna do the science?" Zay asks Sarah.

"I was okay with you doing it." Sarah says.

"Sarah, how is that going to help us. How are we going to become scientists if we don't learn this stuff?" Riley says.

"So, I won't be a scientist." Jade says.

"Why not? Nobody wants to be the first girl on Mars?" I ask. Brenda turns around and waves her hand in the air. "Represent, Brenda! But one's not enough. Bay window. Bay window, all of you!" Riley commands.

After school all the girls go over to Riley's house. Everyone is either sitting on the bay window or the floor. I'm sitting in between Riley and Maya.

"Tell 'em, Mommy! Get 'em! Tell them they're a disgrace to our entire whatever." Riley says.

"Welcome to our home." Topanga says, greeting the girls.

"No nice. Go for the kill." I say.

"Unfortunately, Riley and Rachel, this is a serious problem. The girls your age start to drift away from stem subjects... science, technology, engineering, math. The research shows that we tend to play the roles we think we're supposed to." Topanga explains.

"Hey, I'm me." Maya says.

"Yes, you are, you Amazon warrior. Have I told you how fond I am of you?" Topanga asks.

"Tell me." Maya says.

"I am." Topanga says.

"She dropped her marble." I say pointing at Maya.

"Maya!" Topanga scolds.

"What? I'm not trying to hurt the girl thing. I'm just lazy." Maya says.

"You can't be lazy. And you cannot think that it is more important to be liked than it is to be leaders. Don't talk yourself out of pursuing something because you're afraid of how it's going to make you look. What you need to know is don't let anybody get in the way of pursuing your growth and your curiosity, no matter what you want to do." Topanga says.