Eradicating balloon gender bias

Today the Marriott Library opened a new family-friendly reading room in response to the fact that 25% of undergrads in Utah have children. That is a crazy big number for those of you who don't keep track of academic library users.

Anyway, to celebrate the grand opening of the space, the Marriott Library threw a celebration that included crafts, Swoop, cupcakes, story time, and, balloon art created by yours truly.

That's right. One of my secret talents is the ability to craft masterful balloon animals and hats. Twisting balloons was the wondrous college job that allowed me to make $100/hour as an undergrad and fully funded my snowboard adventures.

Good times (p.s. check out that red hair) 

My balloon glory days were back around 2000-2001 and I haven't really twisted much since I moved to Mammoth in 2002. But somehow my former balloon career leaked at the Marriott Library and they asked me to twist for the Family Reading Room Grand Opening. So I dusted off my skills and wowed several dozen easy-to-impress children at the event.

What stood out to me more than anything about this experience was a relatively small but significant detail. When I was 20, and I asked a kid what kind of balloon they wanted, this was my pitch:

[to little boys] "What can I make for you today? Would you like a sword, a monkey running up a tree going, a fish on a fishing pole, Spiderman, a surfer guy..."

[to little girls] "What can I make for you today? Would you like angel wings, a princess crown, a flower, a teddy bear in a heart, a butterfly..."

I'm sure you can see where I'm going with this. My suggestions to kids were COMPLETELY GENDERED. Today, when the first kid approached me, I fell back in this pattern and immediately felt a little sick about it. By the second kid, I started giving a different sales pitch to every kid.

[to every kid] "What can I make for you today? A sword, a hat, a dog, a monkey, a flower, a crown, wings..."

To be sure, most kids still selected items within typical gender norms but plenty others didn't. There were tons of girls with swords by the end of the day and a few boys with flowers. Separately, two boys selected pink as their favorite color for their balloons. I saw it as a refection on how I've changed in the past 15 years and how the ideas of gender norms have changed in society as well. It literally made me feel sick to pigeonhole kids into what they should want for their balloon.

Kids waiting in line for balloons. I'm always leaning back because they are always crowding in. 

Me and Swoop

Aidan feeding Swoop a cupcake

One of the highlights for me came at the end of the day when two little girls asked me to sign their balloons. I wrote "Read a lot. Love, Rebekah" on their balloons and gave them hugs.  It was so cute I wanted to die.

Aidan wearing a balloon on the way home

 I've probably opened the floodgate for free balloon services at the U, but whatever, it was better than answering email at my desk all afternoon.