Female meteorologists have a simple request: Stop labeling us educated, highly trained scientists as "weather girls." And maybe stop commenting on our dresses and lipstick and start asking about our forecasts.
"Women on television can also be scientists. It's that simple," said Ginger Zee, a meteorologist on Good Morning America and ABC World News Tonight.
On Sunday, The Weather Channel (TWC) debuted a two-part series exploring the unique challenges that women face in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
In the clip shown here, Zee and two other leading meteorologists -- Janice Huff of WNBC-New York and Jen Carfagno -- join Marshall Shepard, host of TWC's Weather Geek program, to discuss ways to encourage young women to embrace science from an early age.
"More than ever, there are opportunities for girls and women who are interested in science to ... find extra help and support along the way," Carfagno, who hosts TWC's AMHQ program, told Mashable.
She noted that stereotypes about women in science extend far beyond the 1950s-notion of the well-heeled weather girl. Think about the recurring movie plot, in which a frizzy, bespectacled geek suddenly gets hair gel, contact lenses and stops droning on about all that "dull" science stuff.
"Society still hangs on to that, and it's a sort of underlying theme I feel that's hard to shake," Carfagno said.
Given those lingering cultural perceptions, and the fact that more men work in meteorology than women, "We decided we really need to do a show about women in science," she said.
Part one of TWC's "Wx Geeks" special on women in science airs Jan. 29 at 12 p.m. ET. Part two airs Feb. 5 at the same time.
