#GirlsWithToys is the new kickass hashtag uniting women everywhere

This past weekend, NPR ran an interview with astronomer and CalTech astrophysics professor Shrinivas Kulkarni in which Kulkarni talked about how much he loves to play with telescopes, dropping the line, “Many scientists, I think, secretly are what I call ‘boys with toys.’”

Of course, what’s wrong with this offhand comment is that it perpetuates the myth that science is a man’s field. To prove Kulkarni wrong, Mashable reports that women scientists took to social media with the hashtag #girlswithtoys to demonstrate just how many women are using tech to advance their fields.

The photos these women scientists are posting of themselves at work are absolutely thrilling. It’s so clear that women are contributing to science in such a crucial and revolutionary way, it makes it all the more obvious that the “boys with toys” line was 1000% out of touch. We are so impressed with these women for taking a hurtful comment, and reclaiming it as a call to arms and a symbol of empowerment.

Check out the inspiring women below. Go ladies of STEM!

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