Girls Who Code founder and CEO: ‘Girls need to be taught to be brave, not perfect’

Reshma Saujani, founder and CEO of Girls Who Code and New York Times bestselling author, is releasing her next book, “Brave, Not Perfect: Fear Less, Fail More and Live Bolder,” this coming February.

Inspired by her popular TED Talk, the book focuses on the difference between the way boys and girls are raised and how that impacts their potential: In sum, “Boys are taught to be brave, while girls are taught to be perfect.”

Technical.ly, Generocity and Karin Copeland (former executive director of the Arts + Business Council of Greater Philadelphia) are excited to partner to create this special speaker event meant to encourage women’s empowerment.

Saujani’s message is that by teaching girls from a young age to be perfect (while boys are taught to be brave), we send them forward in life with unrealistic expectations. Afraid to fail, women are less likely to take chances, preferring the path that is safe. Saujani argues that this stems from parents rewarding girls for being quiet and polite while boys are encouraged to speak up, get dirty and take risks.

This event will explore this assumption and how gender norms impact the way we monitor our own behavior as well as the expectations we subconsciously place on others. We’ll interview Reshma and follow it with a panel discussion of thought leaders that have themselves broken these barriers and explore what it takes to rewire our brains and behavior.

Register here