What is the Matilda Effect?

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I came across a post on LinkedIn about the Matilda Effect, and it really made me think. It’s crazy how often women’s contributions are overlooked — ignored — shadowed, even when they’re behind huge discoveries. Once you notice it, you really can’t unsee it.

The Matilda Effect was named after Matilda Joslyn Gage, an activist in the 1800s who fought to highlight women’s forgotten accomplishments through her writings. Later in 1993, historian Margaret W. Rossiter was the one to put the official name to the problem.

It’s crazy how women do incredible things but they get miscredited. Like Ada Lovelace, Grace Hopper, and Jocelyn Bell Burnell, these women made massive contributions without any proper attributes. It’s just wild how that happens.

It’s pretty sad when we think about it. Girls today won’t even have enough role models because of this. Incomplete version of history — such a huge loss, right?

So, what can we do about it?

We need to actually give credit where it’s due and shout out the hard work women have put in. We should talk about these stories more, so the women who’ve been forgotten finally get the recognition they deserve. And honestly, let’s just make it normal to celebrate women’s contributions — whether it’s at work, in our communities, or just in everyday life.

It’s up to us to change this. Let’s celebrate the women making a difference, even if no one else does. History should belong to everyone.

Have you ever noticed the Matilda Effect around you?

Or do you know a woman whose work went unrecognized?

It is really our task to make sure everyone gets the credit they deserve.

Referensi:

• Hosken, M., ‘The Matilda Effect: Women Technology Innovators Erased from History’, LinkedIn, 27 December 2024, https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/matilda-effect-women-technology-innovators-erased-from-martin-hosken/
• Rossiter, M. W., ‘The Matthew/Matilda Effect in Science’, Social Studies of Science, 23 (2), 1993, pp. 325–341, https://doi.org/10.1177/030631293023002004

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