STEM on the silver screen: The best films that promote women in science and tech
The depiction of women in tech and science fiction movies is a mixed bag, with both noteworthy and problematic portrayals. While there has been a notable shift towards stronger female characters, such as Jodie Foster’s Elleonore Arroway in ‘Contact,’ some films still perpetuate harmful stereotypes that can leave a negative impression on young female viewers.
What’s more, research shows that the portrayal of women in STEM positions were outnumbered 2 to 1 by the portrayals of men in STEM positions. Not only do male scientists appear more in films than female scientists, but they’re also described to be more successful, logical, and leader-like than women.
Previous studies have shown that girls become less interested in pursuing STEM careers after being confronted with gender stereotypes. Since media and pop culture can play a crucial role in building children’s interest in science, young girls need to see strong, capable, and confident female characters onscreen to influence their career goals and ambitions. To motivate young women to pursue STEM careers, here are the best films that promote women in science and technology.
Black Panther
Back in the day, women in superhero films were often depicted as damsels in distress, or the protagonist’s love interest. But in ‘Black Panther,’ Letitia Wright’s character, Princess Shuri, proved that a woman can be a hero and a tech genius at the same time. Apart from inventing and improving Wakandan technology, Shuri is also shown to be an excellent coder as she’s able to reverse Bucky’s (Sebastian Stan) brainwashing with an algorithm, showcasing one of the best hacking scenes in modern cinema since ‘The Matrix.’
As Wakanda’s lead innovator and master engineer, Shuri is portrayed to have a better understanding of technology than anyone else in the country, and her wit, intellect and ability to think on her feet makes her one of the best role models for young girls who are hoping to get into a STEM career. When asked about what it means for her to play a strong, black character in the STEM field, Wright told The Hollywood Reporter that she hopes a lot of people can be inspired by Shuri. “With this film, it can spark the brain of another kid that loves technology and science and lets them see that that’s really cool,” she adds.
Hidden Figures
The women in 2016’s ‘Hidden Figures’ are praised for being excellent African American STEM role models as not only were they brilliant in engineering, math, science, and technology, but they also proved themselves while facing challenges in a predominantly white, male working environment.
In the film, Katherine Goble Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer), and Mary Johnson (Janelle Monae) made significant contributions to the American space race while standing up to the rampant misogyny and racism at NASA. These trio showed that with dedication and resilience, anyone can make it through life’s obstacles, and rise above anything that may come their way.
Contagion
2011’s ‘Contagion’ brought into focus the real dangers of a pandemic and how society can collapse when people start to panic. While the film was praised for its well-researched and accurate depiction of a global health crisis, viewers were also impressed with the actors, particularly Kate Winslet, who played Dr. Erin Mears.
The health professional is shown to be skilled, calm, and a consummate professional, even while dealing with politicians in the middle of an outbreak. Her expertise, dedication to her work, and her deep understanding of the virus and how it spreads makes her a positive STEM role model and an inspiration to girls hoping to enter the medical field.
Hollywood is starting to put the spotlight on female characters who shine in the STEM field. These films show that women in STEM can make a difference, and serve as inspiring figures to those interested in a science or technology career.
