Mathematics and Philosophy

Philosophy was the start of anything relating to STEM, originating in countries such as Greece, Egypt, and Rome. From philosophy, mathematics began to form, and many scholars studied both at the same time. One of these scholars was Hypatia of Alexandria. Hypatia was born in Alexandria, Egypt, and followed in her father’s footsteps in mathematics and Philosophy. Hypatia continued his effort to preserve the Greek mathematical and astronomical heritage during a time they were being erased. She also worked on original pieces  such as commentaries on Apollonius of Perga’s Conics (geometry) and Diophantus of Alexandria’s Arithmetic (number theory). She also worked and commentated on the  astronomical table. These commentaries pushed the program initiated by her father into more recent and more difficult areas and ideas. Hypatia, unfortunately, died from an extremist group against the science and discoveries of Alexandria. However, that did not erase her influence on STEM today.

Psychology and Social Work

The late 1800s and early 1900s was filled with discoveries, more specifically for Psychology and the start of sociology as its own practice. Social science was being taken more seriously, and therapy was developing the practices used today. One of the most common forms of therapy, psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy, was coined by Bertha Pappenheim. After the death of her father, she began having extreme anxiety attacks and hallucinations, and began treatment with Joseph Breuer. It started with hypnosis, but then morphed into the early versions of psychotherapy. Breuer published an article about his time with Pappenheim, under the pen name Anna O, and how she experienced the therapy. Pappenheim later went on to be the pioneer of social work in German and put an emphasis on how important the practice was. It paved the way for the practice to be common among middle class women.

Technology

Finally, modern technology wouldn’t have been possible without two outstanding women in the 20th century. Famous for her acting career, Hedy Lamarr moved to America right before the start of WWII. She continued her film career in America, but was also an excellent inventor. She created a Secret Communication System with composer George Antheil during the war. The system used frequency hopping to guide torpedoes and make them untrackable. The invention was incorporated into the US Navy during WWII and was later used during the Cuban missile crisis. This technology was also the predecessor to inventions such as Wi-Fi, GPS, and Bluetooth. Despite this, Lamarr and Antheil were both not paid a cent for their work. However, they jointly won the Electronic Frontier Foundation’s Pioneer Award in 1997.

Shortly after Hedy Lammarr, Marian Croak came into the technological world. She joined AT&T Bell Laboratories in 1982 and saw the potential in the newly forming Internet. She made the internet and cellular phones her focus and developed Voice Over Internet Protocols (VoIP). This technology converts voice into a digital signal, creating a call directly from a computer or other digital device. She also invented the technology of text-based donations to charity. She won the Edison Patent Award in 2013 and 2014 and is currently working at Google as the Vice President of Engineering.

Our day-to-day life wouldn’t be possible without these incredible women. They have brought us strides in STEM and paved the way for young women all over the world. Women have created today through hard work in the past, and they are still working to create the next future.

______________________________________________________________________________________

Sources cited:

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Hypatia

https://www.lbi.org/collections/german-jewish-feminism-in-the-twentieth-century/bertha-pappenheim/

https://lemelson.mit.edu/resources/marian-croak

https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/hedy-lamarrs-wwii-invention-helped-shape-modern-tech

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/psychotherapies

The post The Hidden Women of STEM appeared first on GirlSpring.

A Negativity Problem

This world has become too focused on the negative aspects of life. The hatred, confusion, division, and injustice sweeping the world appears to be the only thing anyone can talk about. War. Political Disagreement. Crime. Poverty. Loss. it is everywhere. It is all consuming. 

Consequently, I am tired of it. I am tired of seeing all the media focused on the bad. I am tired of every conversation turning into an argument. I am tired of feeling weighed down by labels. To put it plainly, I am tired. 

I know others complain about this darkness and do not provide solutions. And I know society has gone around in circles trying to find a solution to the negativity. That is why I need to say this.

A Positive Shift

So, I want to talk about love. I want to talk about silly little movies that make you believe that love will always save the day. I want to talk about friendships that last decades and only grow stronger with time. I want to talk about how a family’s love can overcome any obstacle this negative world can throw at it. I also want to talk about how one person’s love saved the entire world.

I want to talk about peace. I want to talk about the quiet mornings spent staring at the sunrises. I want to talk about sitting at the beach with a good book. I want to talk about how peace, true peace comes from one place, and it is forever.

Also, I want to talk about joy. I want to talk about vacations. I want to talk about family game nights that make you laugh so hard you start to cry. I want to talk about friends hanging out and making life long memories. I want to talk about how joy, infinite joy, is a gift from heaven, and it is freely given. 

Also, I want to talk about hope. I want to talk about how hope is not fleeting. Hope can survive war, political disagreements, crime, poverty, and loss. Hope can move mountains and reshape societies. Indeed, hope is able to be a light to you even in the darkest of times. 

How My Faith Helps Me

And this love, this peace, this joy, this hope comes from one person. He sacrificed everything to have a relationship with us. He is your Father, friend, provider, and protector. Without a doubt, He loves you unconditionally. 

I know this world is negative and dark and scary. I know it can be hard to wake up in the mornings some days. 

Still, I also know that the solution to all these problems is right in front of all of us. Above all, we just have to be brave enough to embrace Him.

The post I Need to Say This appeared first on GirlSpring.

Dune

Dune was originally a book published by Frank Herbert in 1965. It is a true unsung origin of modern sci-fi and world building in general. This book was the inspiration for many famous space and sci-fi stories, including Star Wars. However, this story wouldn’t get a proper film adaptation or recognition by the general public until 2021. Dune is about Paul Atreides and his family becoming the new governors of the planet of Arrakis. When they arrive, however, the locals believe that Paul is the chosen one who would help them reclaim their planet from those who want to exploit it for a fuel source called spice. He is thrown into this prophecy when the planet is attacked, and the only way to fight back is with Paul at the front lines. It’s a gorgeous story with themes of leadership and religion, a wonderful place to start for classic sci-fi.

Star Wars

Star Wars is a sci-fi genre staple. One of the biggest names in sci-fi next to Star Trek. This world has been expanding since 1977 and continues to this day. Star Wars is, in its most basic form, about a family of magic knights, called Jedi, who are both the galaxy’s saviors and destroyers. The original movies, episodes 4-6, focus on Luke Skywalker, the prequels, episodes 1-3, focus on his father, and the sequels, episodes 7-9, are about the Skywalker legacy in general. The other properties of Star Wars, the spin-off movies, the shows, and the video games, are about the consequences and ripple effect the Skywalkers had on the galaxy.

If starting Star Wars, it is important to know the order to watch everything. Different people will give you different recommendations, and while there is no wrong way to watch Star Wars, here is my recommended order. Episodes four through five, episodes one through three, Solo, Rogue One, Episode seven through nine, Clone Wars, Mandalorian, Book of Boba, Andor, and then the other shows and video games if you’re up for them. Star Wars can be complicated and has lots of time jumps, so don’t feel disheartened if you’re confused at first. Watch with a friend who knows the world and story. They will be able to explain, and watching with someone is always fun. If you are looking for a sci-fi staple that you can get lost in, Star Wars is a perfect place to start.

2001 a Space Odyssey

2001 a Space Odyssey is a one-off movie, but still a staple of sci-fi. Released in 1968 and created by Stanley Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke, this movie is a deep look at the past, present, and future. The movie is less about a central story and more about the positives and negatives that could be in the future. The moon landing wasn’t until 1969, so a majority of the film focuses on the fear of the unknown and the introspection of the vastness of space. The movie is severely trippy, but it’s meant to be less of a story and more of a conversation starter. If you are looking for something with incredible visuals and an ending that leaves you reeling, I couldn’t recommend this movie more.

I have no Mouth, and I must Scream

I have no mouth, and I must scream is a short story by Harlan Ellison published in 1967. The story may be 10-15 pages long, but do not let that fool you. This story is one of the most haunting stories of the genre as a whole. The story is about an AI that named itself AM, wiping out humanity and putting five humans on trial for their crimes. AM talks about the complexities of humanity and its perspective on the topic as an AI. The story ends with all of those on trial dead except for one. It is definitely the scariest sci-fi staple. It does not hold back with its debates over man vs machine. If you are someone who loves horror and wants to shift into sci-fi, then this story is perfect. However, if you are squeamish, I would stick to the other recommendations on this list.

Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is a much lighter and funnier option than the others. Written by Douglas Adams in 1979, this book is a comedic take on the sci-fi genre as a whole. There are still themes and moments that are incredibly sci-fi. But most of the book is more about the silliness of sci-fi’s debates on philosophy and the future. The book is about a man named Arthur Dent who finds out that his friend, Ford, isn’t from earth and is a researcher for the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. They then get forced into this grand adventure, succeeding through knowing zero to nothing about Aliens and other planets. The book is a hilarious and trippy ride through the genre as a whole. While it is not something for someone new to sci-fi, it is required reading for anyone who enjoys the genre.

There are so many to recommend and experience, including my current watch, Trigun: Stampede. However, the world of sci-fi is as vast as space itself. There are many more stories in sci-fi, but you can’t explore a whole galaxy without a good starting point. So take some of these recommendations and dive into the world of sci-fi; a galaxy awaits you.

The post Start to the Stars: A List of Sci-fi Recommendations appeared first on GirlSpring.

Do You Know Your History?

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The post Quiz: What do you know about History? appeared first on GirlSpring.

The misogyny of the arts does not manifest itself in loud ways. Rather, it can be seen in the erasure of women’s history within the humanities and the subtle but strong exclusion within the industry. By learning the history and current statistics of women in the humanities, it is easy to argue that the humanities are almost as misogynistic as every other industry.

Women’s History in the Humanities

Legends are legends because they were able to define or redefine an aspect of life. What would Western philosophy be without Socrates? Would any classical music playlist be complete without Mozart? Could a class on American literature bear to mention F. Scott Fitzgerald? These men, among many others, have carved their name into history. Because history would be incomplete without them – or at least that is what the narrative tells us.

If legends are remembered because of their impact, then why is it that Aspasia of Miletus’ name has been nearly lost to history despite being the tutor of Socrates, who then tutored Plato, who then tutored Aristotle, and so on?  Why is it that even though her musical abilities were on part with her brother’s, Maria Anna “Nannerl” Mozart’s name is considered a cliff note? Or what about the women like Zelda Fitzgerald, the woman whose diatribes were what made F. Scott Fitzgerald’s writing career, but are only remembered as a wife?

None of this is to deny the skill or influence of any of these men. It is simply to question why their legacies can be taught as a degree while women of the same skill and influence are being lost to history with every passing day. By prioritizing the contribution of men and constantly – and intentionally – erasing the contributions of women, the art world is  disgracing the people it could not exist without.

​Side Note:

Here are some legendary but criminally underrepresented women within the arts:

Philosophers: Aspasia of Miletus [2] and Hypatia of Alexandria [3].

Authors: Sophia Tolstaya [4] and Alice Walker [5].

Painters: Sofonisba Anguissola [6] and Ma Xianglan [7].

Musicians: Maria Anna “Nannerl” Mozart [8] and Teresa Carreño [9].

Women in the Humanities Today:

Misogyny in the arts targets not only historical female artists, but also towards female artists of today. Famously, the Guerrilla Girls discovered that less than 3% of exhibited artists in museums were female, despite women making up 83% of all nude figures in art [10]. In 2024, only thirty-seven percent of artist that made the billboard for top 100 musicians were women [11]. As of 2023, women made up only seventeen percent of literature award winners [12]. These statistics, although shocking, are only snapshots of the current industry.

When Art Prof interviewed female artists about their lived experiences, many reported their art being pigeonhole into romance or motherhood, having job recruiters hire men who they saw themselves in, and having people be physically shocked upon finding out their favorite art was done by a woman. These experiences, amongst countless others, has caused female artists of today to feel like the boys-club that they are trying to enter is not barred by a glass ceiling but rather a brick wall.

Women’s Future in the Humanities

Having been erased from history and covered up today, and with the lack of recognition and support around this issue, female artists are left wondering when – or if – they will be able to make the equitable gains that women in many other industries have made. To support female artists, it is crucial to learn their contribution to art history and their current contributions to the art world. Even if it means knowing Natalia Sedova’s name rather than Leon Trotsky’s. And if you are an artist who happens to be a girl reading this: remember that your work is just as important, keep reminding yourself and the world of that. 

The post Misogyny in the Humanities: Simplified appeared first on GirlSpring.

When was the last time you made a discovery independently? Not because it was on your “For you” page. Not because everyone at school got it at once. Not because your favorite influence decided that you “couldn’t live without it”.

But because you found it by chance, and fell in love with it before anyone told you to.

As the world dives deeper and deeper into the new age of technology, that is the question that more and more of us are starting to ask: are we actually developing our own taste, or are we slowly being trained by algorithms?

The Invisible Stylist Behind Your Screen

An unseen system operates in the background whenever you open Youtube, TikTok, Instagram, Spotify— any social media app. It keeps track of the things you pause on, rewatch, even the ones you send to your best friend at one in the morning. It picks up on everything, including the videos that you covertly watch through even though you “don’t like it”.

After that, it starts to adapt.

You see more of the media you choose to cling to. More videos about what drew you in. More of the things that capture your interests for a fraction of a second. And that feels fantastic at first. Your feed feels curated. Personal.

But your feed doesn’t mirror your taste. It creates it.

The Aesthetic Pipeline

Perhaps you were curious and watched a “clean girl” morning routine. An iced matcha, a matching workout set, gold hoops, a sleek-back bun. It appeared serene. Organized. Effortless.

Three more appeared on your feed the next day. Next, ten. Then, all of a sudden your scroll was glowing and beige. It stops feeling like a trend and begins to feel like a standard after enough repetition. Like this is what put together looks like. As if success looks like this.

And maybe you do truly love it. But it’s still worth asking if you hadn’t seen it fifty times that week,would you still find it as compelling?

These days, social media trends change so quickly that your sense of style can feel different every month. One month its soft cottage-core. Then it’s Y2K. Then minimalism, then hyper-maximalism. The speed makes it hard to tell whether you’re growing, or just adapting to like what you see.

The Psychology of Repetition

But don’t worry— it’s not just you. There is a real psychological effect behind this.

Our brains process information more readily when repeatedly exposed to it. Liking something can be the result of that ease, that “oh I’ve seen this before” feeling. To the brain, familiarity is true, and more importantly it is safe. This isn’t something that we consciously choose, it’s because repetition improves processing fluency and lowers uncertainty.

Research has proven that even brief, barely perceptible repeated exposure can increase our liking of something. This effect doesn’t just apply to lab created goods or shapes, this applies to faces, ideas, styles, slogans, and stories. Something can already change how appealing or true it feels just after two or three exposures.

Therefore, your brain begins to identify certain body types, aesthetics, humor, opinions, or lifestyles as familiar when they are constantly promoted to the top of your feed. And they begin to feel normal once you are accustomed to them. Then they seem appealing. Then they just feel right.

Meanwhile, what you don’t see doesn’t get that repetition boost. It remains strange. And because your bran hasn’t been exposed enough to lessen that uncertainty, new things frequently seem less appealing or just “off”.

This doesn’t mean that your preferences are fake, though. It doesn’t imply that you are easily swayed, or shallow. It just means that our brain runs on repetition. And that can be dangerous, especially in an algorithmic world.

Reclaiming Your Taste

It used to take friction to develop taste. You had to sift through racks. Check out CDs. Explore the strange corners of the internet. Pose inquires to others. Take the chance of not liking something. It seems like nowadays, everything comes pre-filtered.

So what can you do?

Well, taste has always been shaped by culture. So maybe the real rebellion isn’t deleting social media. Maybe it’s the decision to occasionally to step out of the norm. Looking for something wholly unrelated. Listening to an album that doesn’t fit your typical mood. Wearing a piece of clothing that may not garner the usual attention.

Maybe it’s just asking yourself: “Do I really like this or do I like that other people like this?”

The answer will most likely never be straightforward. And there’s no shame in that. It’s quite impossible to study the inner workings of your mind to trace where a certain liking was developed. The point isn’t to untangle every influence, but just to be aware that your preferences are always being shaped.

The Takeaway

It’s okay to adore trends. It’s okay to enjoy what’s popular. You are free to build Pinterest boards with images that were most likely recommended to you.

However, you are free to doubt it as well.

Because real taste isn’t just what you choose to consume. It’s about what speaks to you. It’s about what you would choose if there were no amount of likes and comments and influence telling you what to chose. If there was no algorithm studying your every interaction.

And the next time you feel like your feed is telling you who to be, consider this:

If the algorithm vanished tomorrow, what would I still love?

The post Are We Developing Taste — or Just Following Algorithms? appeared first on GirlSpring.

The destruction is still there

The pain

The death

I can not stay in the Eye

I step out

Swirling winds are all consuming

Throwing me around senselessly 

The noise drowns out any peace 

The debris crowds my vision until all I see is destruction

This hurricane spins me around endlessly 

In my mind…

The water surges and grows

Rising higher and higher

Swallowing me whole

Until I sink beneath the waves

Struggling 

Drowning

I reach out my hand 

My final breath bubbling in front of me

A warm hand grabs me 

I feel my head breaking the surface

I breathe 

The hand guides me through the wind

And the noise

And the water

It offers me a home

A safe place

A sanctuary 

The hurricane feels like a distant memory…

Then the eye tries to take me again 

But the Hand will not allow it

The Hand will never let go

The Hand will ALWAYS save me.

The post The Hand appeared first on GirlSpring.

The post April 18 | She’s Into STEM: A STEM Fair for girls appeared first on GirlSpring.

The start

When the film industry first started in Hollywood, the directors would hire stage actors because the art and reputation of screen acting hadn’t been developed yet. This left room to pave the way for the new type of acting, and Mary Pickford was up to the task. She started out doing stage shows in her youth before her first film in 1909. She quickly rose through the ranks with each film she did. People adored her for many reasons, but most for her dedication to acting and care she put into each role. Mary helped to create the United Artists Corporation with Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, and Douglas Fairbanks. The UAC was a film studio that created films like West Side Story and The Gold Rush. Mary was in over 200 films and was given an honorary Oscar in 1976.

The Hays era

In the early 1930s, the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America (MPPDA) put in place the Hays codes. These codes put in place moral regulations on the films coming out of Hollywood. However, these codes also promoted bigotry typical to the time period. The codes weren’t fully implemented into the whole of Hollywood until 1934, so any films before then are considered ‘pre-code films’. These pre-code films made huge unintentional strides in representation before the censorship set in. Josephine Baker was the first Black woman to star in a major motion picture, Zouzou (1934). She became the most successful American entertainer in France, where she moved because of segregation laws in America. Marlene Dietrich, dressed in men’s clothing, had the first lgbtq kiss on film in Morocco (1930). This representation, led by women, would have been the standard without the Hays code’s censorship.

That didn’t stop the women of Hollywood from seeking out that representation. The 1940s saw the rise of women in plots that had nothing to do with romance or marriage. Hattie McDaniel became the first Black woman to win an Oscar for Gone with the Wind in 1940. Bette Davis became the first woman president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1941. Olivia de Havilland won a lawsuit against Warner Bros on an unfair labor loophole that traps actors in unfairly long contracts in 1944. Pauline Frederick became the first full-time TV newswoman correspondent, and Mary Kay and Johnny featured the first pregnant woman on TV in 1948. The 40s were a strong time for creating that representation for women despite the hays codes.

Real women in fictional characters

The 1950s and 60s embraced a world of realism on the screen. All About Eve and Sunset Boulevard addressed ageism in Hollywood and I Love Lucy is the first time a couple is seen sleeping in the same bed in 1951. That Girl (1966) is about an independent woman in New York City. Julia (1968) was a sitcom about a single, widowed mom and was incredible at avoiding most stereotypes about Black single moms. Which doesn’t seem like much, but with the strict standards and stereotypes of the 50s, these were huge influences on breaking those standards.

It Girls

The late 20th century was a shining point for iconic women in pop culture. While it’s not her first role, Marilyn Monroe stars in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes in 1953 and becomes one of the biggest icons of the 20th century. Dorothy Dandridge, in Carmen Jones, is the first black woman to be nominated for best actress in 1955. Nichelle Nichols plays Lieutenant Uhura on Star Trek in 1966 and is one of the first Black female characters on TV to not be a maid. Also, Nichelle and William Shatner shared the first interracial kiss on TV. Rita Moreno, starring in West Side Story, is the first Latino woman to win an Oscar in 1962. Gail Fisher is the first black woman to win a primetime Emmy in 1970. Finally, in 1972, The Mary Tyler Moore Show was the first show to have a character openly on birth control.

Woman at the forefront

The latter 20th century opened up stories and discussions of women in the workplace. From real-world change like Congress passing the Equal Credit Opportunity Act in 1974, and the Directors Guild of America suing Warner Bros. and Columbia Pictures over discrimination for female directors. To representation on the silver screen like 9 to 5 (1980), Joan Rivers’s late-night talk show (1986), Princess Leia (1978), and Ripley (1979). This time was also a time of firsts when it came to controversial topics such as menstruation and sexuality. Courteney Cox was the first person to say the word “period” on TV in 1985. Heartbeat on ABC stars Marilyn McGrath as TV’s first lesbian main character in a long-term relationship in 1988, and 21 Jump Street had the first lesbian kiss on TV in 1990. Finally, But I’m a Cheerleader (1999), by Jamie Babbit, explores the complexity of sexuality and a happy ending.

Because of the efforts of women all throughout the 20th century, the 21st century has looked incredibly promising. Halle Berry became the first Black woman to win Best Actress in 2002. Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to win an Oscar for Best Director for The Hurt Locker in 2010, and Patty Jenkins became the highest-paid woman director in 2017. Today, 26% of directors in Hollywood are women.

Hollywood is a place where you reach for the stars. Women have every right to those stars as men, so start with a film on your phone and then the big screen.

The post Shining Stars, The Women of Hollywood appeared first on GirlSpring.

"Mahj-ing" a Difference: A Mother-Daughter Mahjong event

“Mah-jing” a Difference, a mother-daughter Mahjong event will be on May 3 from 2-4 PM CDT at the Levite Jewish Community Center. Join us for an afternoon of fun, connection, and friendly competition, benefitting GirlSpring! Open to girls ages 12 and up and moms, friends, sisters, aunts, etc. from beginners to seasoned pros.

Tickets are $50 per person/ $200 per table

The post May 3 | Mahjong a Difference appeared first on GirlSpring.