Today I’m thrilled to feature Jen Bruno and Sharita Manickam, the brilliant creators behind Rad Girl Revolution, in our Feminist Changemaker Series. Today we’re bringing to you a book that every strong girl will want.
RAD stands for “Rise Above Doubt” and “Reach Any Dream.” Their new book will feature 30 inspiring storybook-style photos of real little girls in fields typically under-represented by women, along with a rhyming verse describing each career. The book includes occupations such as scientist, judge, artist, astronaut, doctor, pilot, journalist, director, chef, author, CEO, engineer, paleontologist, President, and many more.
When I heard about this book, I immediately rushed over to Kickstarter to support Rad Girl Revolution, and I bet you’ll want to do the same after you hear more about it!
Hi Jen and Sharita, I am so excited about Rad Girl Revolution. What was the inspiration for creating this project?
Sharita wrote a poem for her newborn daughter describing all the things she could be. She held on to the poem, toying with the idea of one day turning it into a book. But then, during the election of 2016, we realized how many kids in our neighborhood didn’t realize it was possible for a woman to be president. Sharita and I were friends, and being that I’m a photographer, I’d photographed her daughters a few times. She came to me and said, “I want to help these girls realize what they are capable of. Let’s turn my poem into a book!”
Credit:Michael Reynolds/Pool via CNP /MediaPunch
It’s sort of shocking that in 2018 that representation of girls in children’s books is so low. What’s the deal? How can we fix this?
I think awareness is key. Like Maya Angelou said, “… when you know better, you do better.” Many parents and caregivers don’t realize the disparity, so they aren’t actively seeking to create a balance. And further, the imbalance may not even be seen as a big deal. If you don’t realize how a lack of representation impacts children, you aren’t able to do anything about it. We hope to be a part of the conversation to change this.
Related: Birthday Cards Perpetuate Stereotypes
The two of you became close while your children had playdates. Tell me, how long did it take to move from bonding over potty training and sippy cups to talking about gender inequality?
Our parenting styles are similar in terms of the way we view gender roles. We started the conversations with commentary on gender-focused toys and activities. Sharita has daughters and I have a son, so we both had different perspectives, but matching philosophies on the importance of equal and broad exposure and avoiding societal pretenses.
The existence of gender stereotypes is why Think or Blue exists. When did you first start to notice stereotypes among children, and how did it impact your view of parenting and beyond?
We both live and operate in very egalitarian homes, and we actively discuss, read, and expose our kids to diverse, stereotype defying material, but even though we feel we are proactive, the reality of what they see in society still shapes our children’s views. You can certainly shape a mindset at home, but it takes a global effort to really solidify what you teach. Knowing that gender stereotypes are set in children as early as age six, we want our book to be in their hands before this takes place. We want to provide parents with conversation starters. We want little boys to believe in little girls just as much as little girls believe in themselves. Achieving equality in any realm requires the whole team.
Related: The Problem with Color-Coding
My kiddo loooooves books that feature photographs of real children. Drawings are wonderful, but there’s something about real children’s faces that entrance her. How did you make this editorial decision, and why is it important to the success of the book?
Our children feel the same way. They study every facet of the images of real children, they make predictions about their facial expressions, they ask lots of questions, and, since I’m a photographer, it felt like a no brainer. We dream of our book being part of each child’s bedtime routine. We hope our pages create the desire to linger, to question. We want our images to stir curiosity about gender, diversity, jobs- all of it. As parents, Sharita and I treasure any opportunity to broach something that will result in raising better humans.
Your Kickstarter page is very clear that this book is not just for girls, but for boys too. There seems to be this notion that girls will read about boys but boys won’t read about girls. How did that happen, and how do you hope Rad Girl Revolution will change that?
I think perhaps there’s a false assumption that books with female leads will be laced with overtly “feminine” messaging, and since our boys are receiving constant societal prerequisites for masculinity, I think they often rebuff a female lead before they even realize what they are rejecting. There are so many incredible books with strong, smart, quirky, funny, adventurous female leads, and quite often, those books are my son’s favorites. The girls in our book will remind boys of girls in their classes or girls at the playground. We hope this piques their interest and makes Rad Girl Revolution one of their favorites in their bedtime story rotation.
What are some of the tools that you both use to teach your children about gender equality and social justice?
A library card is key. Short of spending your life traveling the world, the library is the greatest resource on earth for learning. Reading is such a huge part of our lives, and our children are following in our footsteps. In addition to that, we are always seeking real life scenarios to help cement what we attempt to teach.
Related: 5 Day Reboot to Raising Confident Girls
What do you hope to see for the future of feminism?
With any sort of social injustice, we hope to see a unified front. Without all of us, there are none of us.
How can people help to ensure that Rad Girl Book makes its way to kids’ bookshelves around the world?
We are taking pre-orders on www.radgirlrevolution.com! Purchase your copy! Purchase a copy for a gift! Purchase a copy for your child’s classroom! Spread the word!
Thanks so much, Jen and Sharita, for sharing your new project and the inspiration behind it. Be sure to go support this awesome project and grab your copy of Rad Girl Revolution now!
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