So here is what the European Commission thinks is the way to get girls more interested in science:

Apparently, the Commission thinks the defining aspect of girls who are interested in science is that they wear lipstick and high heels — and love sexy dance music. I guess they never saw Dr. Frank N. Furter in Rocky Horror Picture Show. Rimshot! [OK, that's technically a "sting."]

Seriously, though, the Commission does seem to have a thing for lipstick, as their “Science: It’s A Girl Thing!” website makes painfully clear:

As you can imagine, the video didn’t go over well with actual scientists of both sexes. The L.A. Times reports:

Appalled scientists said the video was a sexist bit of advertising based on the idea that only fashion could get girls interested in test tubes.

“It’s as if Disney channel male execs do ‘science Barbie,’” geologist and blogger Sharon Hill tweeted in disgust. “Terrible.”

Ben Goldacre, author of the Guardian‘s “Bad Science” column, joked, “The EU have funded a campaign to make women in science wear shorter skirts.”

Could the ad be “a fiendish ploy to highlight the stereotyping of women and scientists?” University of Bristol climate ...

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