Mardi Brownell offered her third-grade daughter a prize of her choice in return for reading more often. Brownell had hoped her daughter, Allison, would emulate one of her favorite fictional characters by choosing a microscope. Much to her mother's dismay, Allison chose a Barbie townhouse instead.
"And then, of course, I did get a microscope for Christmas," Allison Brownell Tirres said Wednesday morning at the Student Center in a speech with her mother titled "Raising a Feminist Daughter."
According to Tirres, editor of the Harvard Law Review, the key to raising a successful daughter is allowing her to pursue her own interests.
Tirres used the Barbie story to show how parents must battle gender stereotypes to promote responsible decision making.
Tirres said she was able to overcome stereotypes because her father, Ball State President Blaine Brownell, and mother never limited her options by categorizing her.
"I never heard a lot of things about girls being sugar and spice and everything nice or comments like, 'These are the appropriate toys for you and these are the appropriate toys for your brother,'" Tirres said.
According to Mardi Brownell, things were different when she was growing up. As she reached college age, her dad urged her to pursue a degree in nursing, teaching or social work. These degrees were deemed most appropriate for women at the time, she said.
"It is interesting to think as liberal as my father was, he had limited expectations for his daughter," Mardi Brownell said.
She went on to graduate from Wellesley College with a degree in sociology. She also earned a master's degree in education from the University of Alabama.
Both Tirres and her mother said it was important for parents to emphasize academic achievement and explain negative portrayals of women in media to their daughters.
Freshman Greg Smith attended the event and said it helped clear his opinion that feminists were against men.
"They just want to have the choice to do what they want," he said.
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
