Bridging the Imagination Gap: The Importance of Diverse Role Models for Girls
Bridging the Imagination Gap: The Importance of Diverse Role Models for Girls
8″What do you want to be when you grow up?” This is a question that we have all encountered during our childhood. As someone who has always had an inclination towards the arts and humanities, I struggled to provide a fitting response and imagine myself in a profession that aligns with my interests.
As a result, fabricating a response became my go-to solution, even though it lacked substance or relevance. With minimal representation of South Asian women in leadership roles, literature, or media, it was challenging to visualize all of my options and opportunities. My aspirations were confined by societal expectations, rather than my personal desires. It was not until my twenties that I began to witness and learn about women like myself taking on roles that aligned with their passions and purposes. It was then that I started imagining a future that truly reflected my aspirations.
The imagination gap, which makes it difficult to envision the full spectrum of career paths available, continues to persist. This is why I wrote Shakti Girls, a children’s book celebrating the accomplishments of remarkable women from India with lyrical stories. Although there have been some recent advancements, the lack of women from diverse backgrounds represented in literature and media significantly contributes to this imagination gap.
A recent study analyzing 60 years of children’s literature revealed there continues to be an overrepresentation of male protagonists in children’s books and according to the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Cooperative Children’s Book Center, only 30% of children’s books are inclusive of protagonists from diverse backgrounds. Addressing this racial and gender gap “is crucial for all folx to see authentic representations of themselves and others, especially if oppressed, as it may help them to see new possibilities for their lives.” Focusing on the stories and experiences of women from diverse backgrounds is crucial to enable girls to envision themselves in various fields, including those that are still male-dominated, and realize that their dreams and ambitions are within their grasp.
What are some ways caregivers and educators can help close the imagination gap? Families and educators can take steps in helping girls imagine their options while shaping the development of their confidence and leadership skills. Here are a few ways to get you started:
- Start young. Caregivers and educators can expose girls to role models from an early age. This can be done by providing positive examples through nonfiction and fiction books that she can relate to, building a home library that reflects her identity, and seeking out diverse selections from using websites like Diverse BookFinder.
- Enroll girls in initiatives like Girls Who Code, Running Start, or Girls With Impact to build confidence in STEM, politics, or other male-dominated fields. By engaging them at an early age, they will build the confidence to keep going!
- Developing leadership skills takes years of practice. Provide opportunities for girls to cultivate those skills starting at a young age. How?
- Encourage them to take on leadership roles at school.
- Encourage them to get involved in team activities where they can build collaboration, communication, and leadership skills.
- Provide them the space to bring their ideas to life in the safe space of their home.
- Role model positive and supportive relationships with other women. Show them what it looks like to empower other women and the value of collaborating and building positive relationships with other girls.
- Encourage girls to try new things and praise their effort over the outcome to help them get out of their comfort zone. Praising effort sends the positive message that trying something new is more important than getting it right the first time.
- Reflect regularly on their wins and moments of growth. Encouraging girls to keep track of this in a journal can help them remember what they are capable of achieving!
Exposing girls to relatable role models is invaluable. When girls witness women achieving great things, they understand that they too can accomplish remarkable feats. Moreover, providing girls with the time and space to nurture their leadership skills fosters the confidence they need to achieve greatness. By empowering girls with diverse role models and opportunities to develop their leadership abilities, we can help them realize their full potential and inspire them to accomplish extraordinary things.
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About Shetal Shah: Shetal taught world history in all-girls schools where she witnessed how curriculum and literature inclusive of women from diverse backgrounds can have a positive impact on girls’ self-esteem, identity development, and belonging. Shetal also developed and led numerous educator workshops, presenting at national conferences covering topics on pedagogy and diversity and inclusion.
Shakti Girls: Poems of Inspiring Indian Women
Inspire a new generation with this beautifully illustrated, rhyming compilation of biographies of 13 unforgettable, powerful Indian women who changed history! Perfect for kids ages 5+.
From the globally well-known producer Mindy Kaling to the lesser-known freedom fighter Kasturba Gandhi, Indian women have been breaking ceilings and ushering in powerful change for decades.
Learn 13 of their exceptional stories in Shakti Girls, where single rhyming poems illuminate each woman and reflect the diversity of India and its diaspora, including representations of over 10 different industries, such as women in science, politics, math, activism, sports, and more:
- Kalpana Chawla, the first Indian woman in space
- Indra Nooyi, the first Indian woman to lead PepsiCo
- Asha Bhosle, the first Indian Grammy nominee
Empowering words in Hindi and motivating messages are woven into each poem to affirm each young reader’s identity and self-esteem. A short glossary of English and Hindi words is provided on each page to enhance the experience with uninterrupted reading.
If you loved She Persisted by Chelsea Clinton, Girl Power by Neha Hiranandani, and the Rebel Girls series, you will love Shakti Girls.
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