When I went to see the film Hidden Figures, I expected it to be good because of the amount of film awards it won recently. It exceeded my expectation by far. I thought it was not only inspiring, but an encouragement to women in science today. I also felt that it was a reminder from the past about how far America has come as a nation.
The discussion after the movie that was facilitated by Professor Kim Weeden was also very eye-opening about the state of women in science today. It was shocking and surprising that there has been a decline in numbers of women in STEM paths. I think that the U.S. needs to focus on education overall to boost numbers. For the last couple years, attention has been giving to the fact that the U.S. educational system is not as good as other developed countries’ education systems.
I think that this film also drew attention to the importance of remembering people who have accomplished amazing things but are often overlooked. Ordinary people can be heroes in extraordinary circumstances. I think the character Catherine also demonstrated the importance of succeeding where everyone wants you to fail. Although everyone expected her to be unable to handle the pressure, she tried her hardest to prove them wrong. I thought her insistence to be present in the briefing room encourages women today to fight for places and positions they deserve.
I think it is fascinating to think about who becomes hailed as hero, how that happens and why? What does it mean to be someone who is canonized? It’s really difficult for me to pinpoint where the line between extraordinary and ordinary exists because we are all human beings with different strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities. So what are we doing when we pick one person whose work or contributions we value more than someone else who also provided the labor necessary for that person to achieve what they wanted?