Underrepresentation of Women in Textbooks Means People Are More Likely to Attribute Inventions to Fictional Men Than Real Women

In the spirit of back-to-school season, we thought we'd help New Yorkers brush up on their knowledge.

MAKERS took to the streets of New York City to quiz people on inventions and discoveries contributed by women throughout history. Alongside the correct answer, we gave participants a fictional man's name.

Throughout the session, we saw that most people chose the man's name over the women's. Were they just not paying enough attention in class? No — the problem is that most women were written out of history altogether.

Despite their notable contributions throughout history, women's history is not fairly or accurately represented in history textbooks. 

We want to celebrate these remarkable women who helped shape history by letting their stories and names be told. Even if textbooks don't always include women's history, it still has a place in the classroom. History books are clearly missing a few pages, and it's up to us here at MAKERS to make sure women past, present, and future are not forgotten.

Join the conversation by using the hashtag #HerStoryIsHistory, and don't forget to share this video with your family and friends.