She’s a 12-year-old wannabe scientist who also loves pink and watching makeup tutorials online – and doesn’t see why she should have to choose between mascara and engineering. And, judging by the thousands of messages of support she’s received from female scientists, they feel the same way.
Sophie, who goes by the name @ScienceSoph on Twitter, wrote that loving science shouldn’t mean she has to love makeup videos any less: “What is wrong with our world where we think that a girl has to choose one or the other. Can’t she wear a lab coat and lipstick?” she asked.
Proving there is, in fact, nothing wrong with loving science as well as stereotypically “girly” things, female scientists replied to her tweet to send their encouragement.
Debbie Mitchell, who teaches spectroscopy (the study of the interaction between matter and electromagnetic radiation) tweeted Sophie to say that her love of science was linked to her love of makeup – and included a picture of her fabulous rainbow eyeshadow as illustration.
Many other scientists also got involved, including this molecular microbiologist:
This agronomist (the science and technology of producing and using plants):
This biologist:
This chemist:
And this immunologist:
Others also expressed how pleased they were that Sophie was able to enjoy both science and makeup without thinking there was anything wrong with it. “When I was a kid, I thought I had to avoid girly things if I wanted to do science,” one woman wrote.
In summary: Sophie, you rock.