American women meteorologists are fed up with being labeled “weather girls” and ranked by their hotness rather than their knowledge of science.
“I don’t think people realize how many times I do get called that today,” Weather Channel meteorologist Jen Carfagno said in a live discussion on Weather Geeks’ Facebook page.
“You just let it roll off your shoulders.”
On Sunday, the Weather Channel (TWC) premiered a two-part series that explores the negatives consequences of gender stereotyping for women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields, where they remain a minority.
Hosted by TWC meteorologist Marshall Shepherd, the first episode “Don’t Call Me Weather Girl” features three meteorologists discussing the challenges they face as women in this field and how they overcome them.
“The fact that two of our guests are Chief Meteorologists is rare in itself (sadly). Check the numbers on female chief meteorologists around the nation. It’s pretty pathetic” Shepherd wrote in a blog post published before the episode premiered. It featured Carfagno, ABC News chief meteorologist Ginger Zee, and Janice Huff, chief meteorologist at WNBC.
Although female meteorologists often hold degrees in physics, chemistry, mathematics or atmospheric sciences, and must analyze complex data sets to make accurate weather forecasts, many of them still struggle to be recognized for what they are: scientists. Not blow-dried teleprompter readers.
In an interview with Teen Vogue, Carfagno said: “The ‘weather girl’ label came about in the 1950s when the TV ratings race was accelerating, and weather was seen as a way to provide entertainment.”
“Male meteorologists had a parallel label to shake-off—that of the goofy, comedic weather guy. And they did… but we still get called a ‘weather girl’ today.”
On the Internet, it’s easy to find lists of female forecasters ranked in order of “hotness” and blamed for “global warming” by folks more interested in their cleavage size than their weather predictions. Networks, of course, play into this fixation among viewers by hiring mostly attractive women forecasters, thus sending a mixed message about their “value” to viewers.
Shepherd noted that women were still under-represented in the field of meteorology. According to the National Science Foundation, out of the 14,000 professionals in atmospheric sciences in 2015, only 14 percent were women.
He concluded the segment by suggesting to “abolish the term ‘weather girl.’”
“Respect these women for what they are: scientists” he said.
