websites for girls
Last updated: December 26, 2023

Here are selected websites that focus on girls' and/or young women's interests and resources.   A red asterisk (asterisk) indicates a site designed for girls and/or young women, rather than a site for adults about girls/young women.  


asteriskThe Adventures of Josie True
(A free, NSF-sponsored adventure game for girls, created by Mary Flanagan. The game's hero is a Chinese-American girl named Josie True, who becomes involved in intrigue across time and space as she tries to find her inventor-turned-teacher, Ms. Trombone. The electronically sophisticated game is probably best enjoyed on a very fast Internet connection. The site also includes articles about girls and computer games and an account of updates to the game.)

asterisk Age-Defined Email Lists for Women and Girls
(This section of Gender-Related Electronic Forums describes email lists designed for women and girls of a specific age, including a number of lists for girls and young women.)

asterisk Alice: Learn to Program Interactive 3D Graphics
(Alice is designed to make computer programming more accessible and appealing and to "provide the best possible first exposure to programming for students ranging from middle schoolers to college students." Middle-school girls are one specific group to whom Alice is intended to appeal. The site includes a free download of Alice, plus online forums, demonstration videos, and more.)

Beyond Nancy Drew
(An annotated listing of books for girls written in the last 200 years. The books reflect the changing roles that were/are considered proper for girls. Roughly chronological, the listing is organized into subject headings such as A Christian Upbringing, Etiquette, Nurses, A Christian Upbringing, Girl Detectives, Tomboys and Working Girls, Heroines, and more. Almost all the books come from Duke University's Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collection Library.)

Body Image and Young Girls: Resources from WMST-L
(Jeannie Ludlow sent a request to WMST-L, the academic women's studies email list, asking for suggested books, videos, and other resources to encourage more positive body image among young girls. She then posted the responses she received. Here's her posting of responses.)

asterisk Books for Young Women and Girls
(Annotated listing provided by the Center for Women and Work at the U. of Massachusetts, Lowell.)

asterisk Braincake
(Aimed at middle school girls, this web site promotes math and science by creating an online community where girls can interact with their peers about current science topics, solve science mysteries, and discuss careers with young women scientists and engineers. The site offers chat rooms, games, contests with cash prizes, mentoring programs, scholarship resources, and more.)

Brave Girls and Strong Women
(Annotated list of books to empower girls and young women. This list is hosted on the Gender Equality Bookstore website, which also contains a listing of books for adults about raising strong girls, suggested readings about helping boys break out of gender stereotypes, links to other girls' and educational gender equity sites, links to organizations for girls and for non-traditional men, and more.)

Career Girls
(This web site offers a number of video interviews with female role models in many different fields and from a number of ethnic and racial backgrounds. The interviews and the accompanying written information help to acquaint girls and young women with varied careers to which they may aspire, what each career involves, what kind of preparation is required, what the role models like most about their careers, what challenges they have faced, and more. One section of the site provides help for educators wishing to incorporate this material into their classes.)

asterisk Career Options for Women
(This Canadian website offers 13 half-hour programs highlighting women working in jobs traditionally held by men, primarily in trades and technology. Clicking on Profiles will reveal numerous categories, such as Information Technology, Robotics and Automation, Video Games, Gaming, and Biotechnology. Older girls/young women may find the site helpful. The site claims that information is also available in French, but if it is, it's well hidden.)

asterisk Center for Young Women's Health
(Sponsored by Boston's Children's Hospital, this site provides bilingual [English/Spanish] information about eating disorders, nutrition, menstruation, gynecological exams, endometriosis, cancer, sexuality, birth control options, STDs, smoking, breast health, body piercing, emotional health, and more, as well as a guide to lesbian health for teens.)

Changing Girls' Attitudes Toward Computers
(Karen Ellis's rich resource, Educational CyberPlayGround, has devoted a special section to resources designed to get girls excited about computers and information technology. Here you'll find information about women who were/are computer pioneers; projects aimed at interesting girls in technology; links to sites dealing with the gender divide and the digital divide; gender equity resources; and links to "best online resources for women and minorities in science and tech.")

Coding Resources for Women at Every Stage of Their Career
(This site, focusing on girls and women in technology, offers valuable resources arranged into four categories: The History of Women in Tech; Coding Resources for Girls and Women at Every Age and Stage; Resources for Women Already in Tech; and Ways Companies Can Make Equitable Changes. There are also links to Columbia Engineering Boot Camps.)

College Success for Women in STEM
(This site from the organization Affordable Colleges Online offers information about "scholarships, programs, and organizations helping women bridge the STEM gender gap." In addition to financial aid info, there are sections on attracting girls to STEM, degree trends for women in STEM, best careers for women in STEM, and more.)

asterisk Computer Girl
(Started by Stanford undergraduate Amy Wu, the Computer Girl site is designed "to bridge the gap between young women in high school and the computer world." It offers abundant resources: web sites, articles, role models, statistics, job categories, summer camp listings, and more. It also provides a place where students can ask questions about the field of computer science [e.g., the job market, salaries, finding mentors, scholarships, work/life balance, etc.] NOTE: It's not clear that this site is being kept up. Some sections--e.g., role models--have many broken links. I'm keeping the site in my listing for the moment because some parts are still useful.)

asterisk The Cool Page for Queer Teens
(Useful information and links for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender young people. Topics include how to know who you are, what it means to be gay, coming out, problems at home or school, someone to talk to, safe sex, feeling good about religion, and more resources. Created by Scott Bidstrup, an adult gay male.)

asterisk Cybergrrl.com
(This site, founded by Aliza "Cybergrrl" Sherman but no longer run by her, is informative and entertaining. Articles, advice, and links to sites on many women-related topics. Will probably appeal to teens and young women, as well as older women. [Note: Site is apparently undergoing re-construction ])

asterisk Daughters of Eve: Cryptographs
(Each day, the site posts a different quotation from a noteworthy woman in the arts, history, etc. The quotation is presented as a cryptograph--a puzzle of letter substitution accompanied by a portrait of the woman whose quotation is being featured. Collections of cryptographs are for sale by mail, but the daily cryptograph and the answer to the previous day's puzzle are free.)

asterisk Dot Diva
(A site for young women interested in computing and in making a difference. The website proclaims "We're young women with the power and passion to make a difference. We believe in the potential of computing to build a better world." Included is a list of about three dozen varied career areas that use computer skills, as well as profiles of more than a dozen "dot divas" who are making a difference in fields such as medicine, film, forensics, robotics, and social networking. There's also a "webisode" video about two young women who are programmers for a video game company.)

Douglass Project for Rutgers Women in Math, Science, and Engineering
(Extensive, award-winning program established in 1986 to encourage more women to study math, science, and engineering.)

EGEMS: Electronic Games for Education in Math and Science
(Canadian project to make math and science fun for young people age 9-14. Though not aimed only at girls, the project gives considerable attention to gender, and includes some games, such as Phoenix Quest, of particular appeal to girls. Though the project is now inactive, the site offers more than two dozen technical reports, papers, and other documents.)

Encouraging Girls in Math and Science
(Information about and a link to a guide in .pdf format from the U.S. Department of Education. Developed by a panel of experts, the guide "brings together the best available evidence and expertise to provide educators with specific and coherent evidence-based recommendations on how to encourage girls in the fields of math and science.")

asterisk EngineerGirl
(Web site designed to encourage girls' and young women's interest in engineering. The site includes information about what engineers do, great achievements in engineering, career facts, puzzles and games, the opportunity to ask questions of engineers, and links to related sites. Sponsored by the National Academy of Engineering.)

asterisk Engineer Your Life
(This site describes itself as "a guide to engineering for high school girls." It includes photos and videos of young women who are engineers as well as information about what engineering is, why it is important, attractive careers in engineering, and how to prepare to become an engineer. The site also includes sections for counselors and parents and for engineers.)

Expanding Your Horizons
(Conferences "designed to nurture girls' interest in science and math courses and to encourage them to consider science and math based career options." The site lists conferences by state, providing links when possible. The site also includes a timeline of some accomplished women in science, role models, movies, and chat. )

Exploring Gender and Technology
("This site presents current research, perspectives, and innovative approaches to the gender gap in technology collected from secondary research." It offers statistics, case studies, a video, online discussion, an annotated bibliography, and annotated links for educators and for girls.)

Eyes to the Future: Middle School Girls Envisioning Science
(Information about a project that involves e-mentoring between middle school girls and high school girls who have stayed in science and technology, as well as with women who are professionals in science and technology. The middle school girls also create an online magazine to tell their peers about science and technology. )

asterisk FeMiNa: Girls
(Femina is a search engine for women-related sites. This link is to a section devoted to sites of particular interest to girls.)

asterisk FeministCampus.org
(Web site sponsored by the Feminist Majority to provide tools and resources students need to become involved in pro-choice activism on campus. Claims to be "the world's largest pro-choice campus network." Includes news, calendar of events, job/internship opportunities, activist information and resources, and more.)

asterisk 4CollegeWomen
(A site dealing with women's health, with a focus especially on health issues facing college-age women. Created by Brandeis University students and sponsored and overseen by the Former U. S. Assistant Surgeon General, Dr. Susan J Blumenthal, the site is especially strong on information about the following concerns: General Health and Prevention; Tobacco, Alcohol, and Substance Abuse; Reproductive Health; Emotional and Mental Health; Diseases and Conditions; and Safety and Violence-Related Issues.)

asterisk Frag Dolls
(The Frag Dolls are a group of girl gamers whose site includes their individual blogs, a forum, and a calendar of events, including opportunities to play against one or more of the Frag Dolls in online games.)

GEMS: Girls Excelling in Math and Science
(The GEMS club has been in existence since 1994 to expose 5th and 6th grade girls to the fun and wonder of math, science, and technology. The web site offers information about the club's activities and history, instructions for starting a similar club, tips for adults, and links to related sites for girls.)

Gender & Diversities Institute
(An institute "dedicated to improving the well-being of individuals and communities, especially women and girls, through innovative, gender-healthy approaches to life-long learning." It focuses on "developing gender-healthy education and schools; technology and gender; the elimination of all forms of gendered violence; improving economic self-sufficiency for both women and men; and developing a deeper understanding of the multiple ways to define femininity and masculinity" and offers projects and resources that further those goals.)

Gender and Technology in Education: A Research Review
(This extensive 2005 article by Jo Sanders, an internationally recognized authority on gender equity, offers an extraordinarily clear, comprehensive, well-documented account of worldwide research in the area of gender and technology in education, both in and outside the classroom, from pre-school through the university. It includes coverage of efforts to remedy the imbalance between males' and females' involvement with technology.)

Gender Equity in Education
(Martha C. Phelps-Borrowman has created a useful site that focuses primarily on gender equity in science and mathematics. It includes lessons to interest girls in science and math and to acquaint students with the accomplishments of women in these fields, along with links to related sites.)

Gender Equity Resources
(Experienced author and gender equity project director Jo Sanders has put together an impressive set of online gender equity resources, including articles she has written, an interactive tutorial entitled Equity in the IT Classroom, and links to relevant web sites. The web links are arranged in six categories: General Education; Math, Science, and Technology; Gender Equity, General; Gender Equity in Math & Science; Gender Equity in Technology; and Race, Ethnicity, and Socioeconomic Status.)

The Girl Difference: Short-Circuiting the Myth of the Technophobic Girl
(A 2001 research report issued by the Girl Scouts of the USA debunking the myth that girls are afraid of or uninterested in technology. A detailed executive summary is available for viewing or downloading; one can also order a hard-copy version of the entire report.)

Girls and Computers
(A wiki piece that discusses the issues concerning girls' involvement or lack of involvement with information technology. It offers extensive links to relevant articles, research, organizations, and other websites.)

Girls and ICTs
(This Australian site offers abundant information about girls/women and ICTs, including projects and suggestions for how to interest more young women in ICTs and ICT careers.)

Girls and Women in Science
(Beloit College program to encourage girls' interest in science; includes a bibliography and links to related sites.)

asterisk Girls Communicating Career Connections
(A STEM career video website developed by the Education Development Center Inc. and funded by the National Science Foundation. The site, aimed at middle-school girls, features a video series created by girls and companion educator materials on science and engineering careers. The videos share career information, highlight 21st century skill development, and focus on the positive social impact of science and engineering careers. Educator materials include an Educator's Guide, with suggested uses for the videos in both formal and informal settings, and a Video Production Curriculum, which aids educators in creating videos of their own.)

Girls Creating Games
(The website of an after-school and summer program designed to support middle school girls' interest in computers and information technology. Though the program itself has ended, the site makes it possible to view the games the girls developed, download tools for teachers [on pair programming, problem solving, game design, tech identity (including lesson plans), and retaining girls], and read about the research findings that came from the program.)

asterisk GirlsGoTech
(Sponsored by the Girl Scouts, this site is designed to encourage girls' interest in science, math, and technology. It includes interactive information about careers, biographies of accomplished women in science, math, and technology, brief information about HTML and web design, and some online games.)

asterisk GirlsHealth.gov
(Sponsored by the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, this site gives girls 10-16 reliable, current information about health, growing up, and issues they may face. Focusing especially on health issues, the site contains sections on body, fitness, nutrition, illness and disability, drugs, alcohol and smoking, mind, relationships, and more. Each topic also offers separate resources for parents and caregivers.)

asterisk Girls Inc.
(A web site designed to inspire girls to be "strong, smart, and bold." Features include articles about health and lifestyle issues, reading lists, relaxation techniques, a news section, a do-it-yourself section that covers such topics as building a web site, managing your money, and growing a garden, and a lot more.)

Girls Make Media
(Created by Prof. Mary Celeste Kearney, this website provides "information on girl media producers, as well as programs for and research about girls' media-making," including links to blogs/magazines by girls for girls, girl filmmakers, girl musicians, programs for girls' journalism/writing, girls' film or video production, and girls' music, as well as media-making gear for girls, and much more.)

Girlstart
(According to the website, the focus of Girlstart is "empowering girls in science, technology, engineering, and math." The organization offers after-school programs, Saturday camps, and Summer camps to encourage girls to excel in math, science, and technology .)

Girls Tech: Girls, Science, and Technology
(Web site helps teachers, parents, and youth group leaders evaluate electronic resources such as web sites, CD-ROMs, software, and games that will encourage and increase young women's interest and participation in the sciences and technology. The site provides evaluation criteria with citations, an explanation of the theory underlying the research, sample sites, and a bibliography.)

asterisk Girls to the Fourth Power Algebra Program
(Imaginative ways to make algebra more appealing to girls. Don't miss the terrific tongue-in-cheek page, "California-style Algebra Problems." The site grew out of a pilot algebra tutoring program in 1996 and for the most part has not been updated, but girls continue to post their thoughts on the "Algebra Attitude Page." The site seems designed to appeal both to girls and to parents and teachers.)

asterisk Girls With Wings
(A website designed to encourage girls' interest in aviation and related non-traditional fields. The site includes information about role models, girls who like flying, recommended DVDs and books, scholarships, careers, games, newsletters, related sites, and more.)

asterisk A Girl's World
(A cyber-magazine for girls 7-17, "run for and by girls with the help of caring adults." Articles, stories, advice columns, quizzes, and contests created by girls around the world. Chat, pen-pals, surveys, and more in 60 interactive areas.)

asterisk GirlTech International
(This commercial site, sponsored by the toymaker Mattel, features tech games, gadgets, and activities designed to appeal to girls and, perhaps, to encourage their interest in technology. Links at the start lead to identical sites in the UK and Ireland, the US, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Latin America, and Australia/New Zealand, each in the appropriate language. )

asterisk Girl Zone
(Site for junior and senior high school girls offering a variety of interesting sections, including book reviews by girls, technology info, fashion, sports, food, news events of interest to girls, and more. A large "downtown" area contains mostly advertisements, but much of the rest of the site offers interesting content.)

asterisk Go Girls Only
(Go Girls Only is a website for girls 5-12. Sponsored by the Girl Scouts of the USA, the site offers girls a safe place to play games, take quizzes, ask questions, share stories, and send e-cards to friends and family.)

GREAT: The Effect of Computers on the Gender Gap in Education
(This "special issue" of GREAT: Gender Relations in Educational Applications of Technology was created by Stanford University students in early 1998. It offers a series of articles addressing gender inequality in the classroom, gender disparity in computer-related fields, and the introduction of computers into the classroom, as well as case studies, personal stories, and software reviews.)

asterisk Groovy Girls
(Graphically exciting site designed for girls 6-12. Girls can create an onscreen persona with a chosen face, skin tone, and hair style, dress her in funky clothes, chat with other girls from around the world, hang out and decorate their own Mod Pod, invent crazy dance steps, take photos, and more. The site pushes the Groovy Girl line of dolls and accessories but does not sell them on the site. Definitely worth a look.)

A Guide for Women in Cybersecurity
(A useful and fairly extensive site that provides information about the growing need for more people trained in cybersecurity. It includes information about the current underrepresentation of women in this broad and important field, as well as descriptions of twenty different cybersecurity careers, courses of study at different levels, and online opportunities. It also includes extensive informaton about resources, such as internship and scholarship opportunities, and a section aimed at students in K-12.)

A Guide for Women in Tech
(The Guide begins by examining the gender gap in tech fields. The Guide's useful second half, "Scholarships and Assistance for Women in Tech," lists and describes resources in 4 categories: Coding Bootcamp Scholarships, STEM Scholarships for Women, Organizations for Women in Tech, and Companies Supporting Women in Tech.)

A Handbook of Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Activities for 8-12 Year Olds
(A very useful 270-page handbook developed jointly by the University of Arizona and the Sahuaro Girl Scouts, with funding from the National Science Foundation. It includes advice about doing science, technology, math, and engineering with 8-12 year olds, specific discussion of girls' involvement, and extensive descriptions of specific activities. The activities are divided into the following categories: Chemical Engineering, Flight/Aerospace Engineering, Mathematics, Simple Machines, Solar Energy, Structures, Technology, and Properties of Water. Another section identifies some related science sites on the Internet. The handbook is in pdf format, which requires the use of a free Adobe Acrobat Reader.)

Hardy Girls Healthy Women
(This site provides "resources for growing strong girls & women." These resources include an annotated bibliography for books, videos, magazines, and curricular material, which can be borrowed from the site; programs designed to create "hardiness zones for girls and women"; relevant events; well-organized, annotated links to related sites; and information about the research of Prof. Lyn Mikel Brown of Colby College.)

The History of Women and Science, Health, and Technology: Books for Older Children and Young Adults
(Part of the excellent bibliography series from the University of Wisconsin Women's Studies Librarian's Office. Partly annotated.)

How You Can Support Your Daughter in Math and Science
(This blog by Pat Oaklief begins by asking parents to examine their own biases and then outlines what parents should watch for as their daughters progress through school, what they personally can do to support their daughters, websites to go to for more help, and resources for finding appropriate role models for their daughters.)

Imaginary Lines -- See Sally Ride Science, below.

asterisk I Was Wondering...Women's Advantures in Science
(This site, designed to be appealing to middle-school girls, introduces the girls to women in science and promotes girls' interest in being scientists themselves. The National Academy of Sciences sponsors the website and also a related series of 10 books about these women scientists. The website, which makes extensive use of Flash, adds games, comics, a timeline, and activities.)

asterisk Latinitas
(Latinitas describes itself as "the webzine for Latina girls." Actually, it is two webzines: one for Latina teens, the other for pre-teen Latina girls. It includes sections devoted to music reviews, poetry by Latinas, advice, Latinitas traditions, "real life," profiles of noteworthy Latinas, and more. Much of the content is written by as well as for Latinas. Parts of the site are also available in Spanish.)

asteriskMaMaMedia
(Aimed at kids 12 and under, MaMaMedia offers abundant opportunities for what its designer, Idit Harel, calls "playful learning" using "imagination technology." Kids can make their own cartoons, games, avatars, designs, e-cards, etc., as well as share jokes and stories, play games, find other interesting sites, create "My MaMaMedia," and more. Though the site is not designed only for girls, girls make up approximately two-thirds of MaMaMedia participants.)

asteriskMath Cats
(Teacher/mother Wendy Petti has created a wonderfully engaging and visually striking site that brings mathematics to life through math-related art, crafts, games, facts, and more. Math Cats will probably appeal most to elementary and middle school students, though some of its offerings will intrigue people of any age. "Older Cats" (parents and teachers) will find a useful idea bank of math activities and resources, as well as a newsletter. Though Math Cats is not designed specifically for girls, many girls are among its most enthusiastic audience.)

The Math Forum @ Drexel
(A page of highly selective, annotated links to sites dealing with gender equity in math and science)

Media Portrayals of Girls and Women
(This bi-lingual [English/French] Canadian site "provides a snapshot of the issues around the media's portrayal of women and girls -- from effects on body image and self-identity to ramifications in sports and politics. It looks at the economic interests behind the objectification and eroticization of females by the media as well as efforts to counter negative stereotyping." Also included on the site are sections dealing with men and masculinity and resources for parents and for teachers. From Canada's non-profit Media Awareness Network.)

asterisk Nerd Girls
(A website that celebrates "smart-girl individuality," promotes the idea that "Brains are beautiful" and "Geek is chic," and aims "to encourage other girls to change their world through Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, while embracing their feminine power." The site includes relevant news, profiles of half a dozen Nerd Girls, a blog, a "Dear Abby"-like column called "Ask Dr Karen," information about the Nerd Girls movement, and an short video featuring a number of young women who see themselves as Nerd Girls.)

New Formulas for America's Workforce: Girls in Science and Engineering
(Selections from a book by Pat McNees that synthesizes findings and practical suggestions from 224 NSF-funded projects that studied "differences in the ways girls and boys learn (and react to) math, science, and technology in the classroom and identifies ways to make science more appealing as a subject and as a possible career — to all students, but especially to girls and to minority students." The page includes a number of links to other works, including some dealing with girls and science.)

asterisk New Moon
(The online version of New Moon Magazine for Girls offers extensive features (articles, poetry, fiction, mail) from current and back issues, related links, and information about subscribing.)

No Girls Allowed!
(Melissa Koch's 1994 article in Technos Quarterly describes factors that may cause some girls to turn away from technology.)

Pair Programming Research at UC Santa Cruz
(Pair programming has been identified as a way to make computer programming more attractive to women and girls. This site includes more than a dozen articles, including some that directly address gender issues, such as "Pair Programming Strategies for Middle School Girls," "Female Computer Science Students Who Pair-Program Persist," and "Retaining Women in Computer Science: The Impact of Pair Programming Project Update.")

PDK Poster Project: Using Visual Means to Challenge Stereotypes
(The PDK Project has two major goals: to promote "awareness and appreciation of science and technology by humanizing the image of research science and scientists" and to support women and girls who choose to pursue careers related to the physical sciences and mathematics. The site's resources include 36 visually stunning posters; study guides to accompany each poster; videos, interviews, and biographies of the poster participants; links to related sites; and more.)

PinkStinks
(A UK-based website that aims to combat "the culture of pink" that warps and limits young girls aspirations and sense of self-worth. It does so in part by providing girls with positive female role models in a variety of fields, "real" role models chosen for their skills and achievements.)

Reflections of Girls in the Media: A Content Analysis
(This 1997 study by Prof. Nancy Signorelli examines the messages relating to body image, behavior, activities, and motivation sent to teen and pre-teen girls by four media: television shows and commercial, movies, music videos, and teen magazines. The study also captures the demographic makeup of the characters in the media consumed most often by young girls.)

Research on Young Women in Computer Science: Promoting High Technology for Girls
(Text of an invited presentation by Dr. Gail Crombie in 1999 to the annual meeting of the Professional Engineers of Ontario)

Rosh Hodesh: It's a Girl Thing!
(Rosh Hodesh describes itself as "a values-based, experiential and transdenominational Jewish program that strengthens the self-esteem and Jewish identity of adolescent girls in grades 6-12." The web site describes the program and how to find or establish one and offers an extensive set of links to related sites.)

Sally Ride Science
(Founded by former astronaut Sally Ride, Sally Ride Science is an organization whose mission is "to increase the number of girls who are technically literate and who have the foundation they need to go on in science, math, or engineering." The web site, intended for parents, teachers, and girls, provides information about why such efforts are needed and activities and resources designed to achieve this mission. Among the resources is a handbook for parents entitled Science Can Take Her Places!: Encouraging Your Daughter's Interest in Science, Math, and Technology.)

SCWIST: Society for Canadian Women in Science and Technology
(SCWIST is "a non-profit association established to promote, encourage, and empower women working in science and technology." It offers a newsletter and two programs--ms.infinity, a mentor program for young girls, and IWIS, Immigrating Women in Science. The website also provides annotated links to related sites and annotated listings of scholarship opportunities, as well as links to news and upcoming events.)

asterisk Shiny Shiny
(Describing itself as "a girl's guide to gadgets," London-based Shiny Shiny aims to appeal to women and girls who find most geek sites oriented overwhelmingly toward males. Categories include accessories, cameras, celeb gadgets, gadgets, games, grooming, music on the move, phones, product reviews, soft 'ahem' furnishings, telly stuff, and things to do online.)

asterisk SmartGirl
(Where girls find what's hot and what's not. Reviews by girls of computer games, movies, books, music, magazines, and websites. Chat space. Advice about love. Discussion of issues.)

asterisk Studio 2B
(Developed by the Girl Scouts, Studio 2B is a site for girls 11-17 who often find traditional Girl Scouts unappealing. Created largely by and for girls, Studio 2B offers teen girls a space where they can explore who they want to be and what they want to do. Sections include Life, Style, Next, Escape, Pulse, Lounge, and Boutique, as well as an extensive annotated listing of scholarships and awards. El sitio es disponible también en español.)

asterisk TAP Junior
(Part of The Ada Project, TAP Junior is an annotated collection of links containing information and resources designed for and about girls interested in computer science/information technology.)

Techbridge: Encouraging Girls in Technology, Science, and Engineering
(Techbridge is an NSF-funded program to encourage more girls to become interested in technology, science, and engineering. Its web site offers a description of the program and a variety of useful, well-annotated resources to accomplish Techbridge's mission.)

Tech-Savvy: Educating Girls in the New Computer Age
(Summary of a report issued in 2000 by the American Association of University Women about many girls' lack of enthusiasm for computer science and for technical careers, some of the possible explanations for this, and what can be done to change the situation--and why. The full report is available for sale, but the summary itself is informative.)

asterisk Teen Voices
(Online version of the print publication that offers "an intelligent alternative" to the mainstream media's image of girls. Artwork, poetry, and articles by teen and young adult women. Readers are encouraged to submit pieces about "self-esteem, racism, sexism, feminism, popular culture, health, and other issues important to them." Sample features available online from current and back issues.)

TeleMentoring Young Women in Science, Engineering, & Computing
(An NSF-funded project to build on-line communities of support among female high school students, professional women in technical fields, parents, and teachers.)

10 X 10 List: Recommended Resources on Women in Science/Engineering/Mathematics/Technology
(Annotated list of recommended resources dealing with the participation of women and girls in science, engineering, mathetmatics, and technology. The list is divided into four categories: Resources for Anyone, Resources for Parents and Afterschool Learners, Resources for Educators and Researchers, and Resources for Girls and Boys. The list was compiled by Dr. Ruta Sevo, former Program Director for Research on Gender in Science and Engineering at the National Science Foundation.)

asterisk The 3rd WWWave
(Subtitled "feminism for the new millennium," this site reflects "the unique view of women's issues and feminism in the generation of women who came of age in the '80s." The site offers remarks about history, politics, male-female relationships, and a lot more. It provides links to third-wave perspectives about "fun and hobbies," sexuality, money, self-defense, the Internet, and daily living, and a section devoted to third-wave views of second-wave feminism.)

Through the Glass Wall: Computer Games for Mathematical Empowerment
(A description of a project that focuses on using computer games for gender equity and mathematical empowerment. The site includes game descriptions indexed by age and content, game reviews, research, a print bibliography, and extensive annotated links to related sites.)

Under the Microscope: A Decade of Gender Equity Projects in the Sciences
(This 2004 report from the American Association of University Women [AAUW] looks at hundreds of gender equity projects in the sciences funded over the past decade by the AAUW and the National Science Foundation and addresses the following questions: 1) what can we learn from a decade of gender equity efforts in the sciences? 2) what types of gender equity projects in the sciences have been supported and promoted? 3) which STEM disciplines and project approaches have been favored and which have been overlooked? The report is available at no cost as a downloadable pdf file for which you need the free Adobe Acrobat reader.)

Vandergrift's Feminist Page (Kay Vandergrift)
(Special strengths in history, in books for children and young adults, in feminist sites, and in websites devoted to empowering girls.)

W4 - Women's WorldWide Web
(An online collaborative platform based in France and dedicated to empowering girls and women around the world through education, microfinance, access to ICTs, and networking. Le site est disponible aussi en français.)

What you can do to help GRRLS get into technology
(Part of Educational CyberPlayground, this page offers annotated links to resources, mentoring programs, and projects to help girls use science, math, and technology.)

Why Janie Can't Engineer: Raising Girls to Succeed
(This article by freelance writer Pat McNees appeared in 2004 in the Washington Post. In addition to the article, which offers useful insights into the under-representation of girls in science, engineering, and technology, the web site provides links to related resources, including a link to the 2003 book McNees wrote for the National Science Foundation, New Formulas for America's Workforce: Girls in Science and Engineering.)

asterisk Whyville
(Whyville is an imaginative web site that aims to help elementary, middle, and high school students understand and enjoy science. It differs dramatically from most science education sites in its use of avatars, games, computer simulation and modelling, a Whyville newspaper, and interactivity among Whyville participants. Though Whyville is not designed specifically for girls, girls make up more than 60% of its users, an exceptionally high percentage for a science-and-technology-focused site.)

WISE: Women into Science, Engineering, and Construction
(WISE is a UK-based organization whose mission is "to encourage UK girls of school age to value and pursue STEM [science, math, engineering, technology] or construction-related courses in school or college, and to move on into related careers." The website offers profiles of "inspirational women" in these fields; information and resources aimed at girls, employers, parents and teachers; booklets, periodicals, and other print resources to encourage girls and young women to pursue STEM careers; annotated links to related sites, and more.)

WMST-L File Collection: Girls and Young Women
(Selected files created from discussions on WMST-L, an e-mail forum for women's studies teaching, research, and program administration. The files in this section focus on girls and/or young women.)

Women in Engineering Organization
(Created by Tufts University's School of Engineering, this site seeks to encourage more women and girls to become engineers. It provides valuable resources to further that aim. These include discussions of "What is engineering?" and "Why choose engineering?" and separate sections of resources designed for Girls, Parents, K-12 Teachers, Guidance Counselors, College Women, College Faculty, Industry, and Project Directors.)

Women in Mathematics: Resources and Other Useful Stuff
(Sponsored by CAMEL, the Canadian Mathematical Society, this site contains information and excellent links of interest to women in mathematics and to those contemplating careers in mathematics. Separate sections devoted to Educational Issues for Girls and Women; Biographies; Organizations; Books, Articles, Speeches, and Bibliographies; and Miscellaneous Mathematical Links.)

Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics ON THE AIR!
(This site describes itself as "an audio resource for young girls, young women, parents, middle and high school teachers, college professors, guidance counselors, . . . and anyone interested in learning more about the past, present, and future role of women in science and technology education, fields, and careers." Included are brief audio profiles of great women in the history of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; full-length audio accounts of what today's women are doing to encourage the next generation achieve success in these fields; interviews between teen girls and successful women in these fields; and more. The site also offers ideas for using these audio resources.)

Women in STEM: A Guide to Bridging the Gender Gap
(This guide from Maryville University offers useful information about the gender gap in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and some strategies for reducing it. The issues the guide discusses include (among others) Minority Women in STEM Fields, History of Women in STEM, Importance of Women in STEM Fields, Obstacles to Women in STEM, Bridging the Gap, and Resources and Organizations for Women in STEM.)

Women in Technology
(A multi-faceted project from Vermont Technical College designed to encourage young women in middle school and high school to study math, science, and technology and to explore careers in these fields. Programs include a summer camp, telementoring, and more.)

Women in Technology
(A Hawaii-based organization that seeks to improve the "economic quality of life for women by encouraging them into higher-paying technology occupations." Women in Technology has developed a number of initiatives to achieve this goal, some aimed at middle- and high-school students, others at college students and women in the workforce. The web site includes information about all the initiatives, along with resource articles, scholarship information, a calendar of events, and extensive links to related sites.)

asterisk Women of NASA
(Site designed to encourage more young women to pursue careers in science, math, and technology. Includes profiles of female scientists, ideas for integrating the site's information into the curriculum, an annotated bibliography of books related to gender equity in math and science, and more. Some aspects of the site are available also in Spanish. Aimed primarily at K-12, but useful also at the college level.)

asterisk Women's Sports Foundation
(This nonprofit foundation's site offers a variety of resources related to women's participation in sports, including scholarships and internships available, information about training, fitness, careers, gender equity, homophobia, disability, and much more.)

Women's Studies for Pre-Teens
(A compilation of messages from WMST-L, a Women's Studies e-mail list, focusing on resources for teens and pre-teens.)

Women's Wilderness
(Since 1998, Women’s Wilderness has offered wilderness experiences and outdoor adventures for women and girls in the Rocky Mountains and the deserts of the Southwest. See website for more information.)

Women Wanted: Scholarships, Colleges, and Careers in Computer Science
(A resource guide compiled by ComputerScienceOnline.org to help women and girls learn more about "how K-12 schools, colleges, and non-profits are helping women break into and succeed" in computer science.)

asterisk WOW/EM (Women on the Web/ElectronMedia)
(Kristine Burns' web site is "devoted to young women in high school and college who are interested in music and art . . . and who also like math, science, and computers." The site provides abundant information about electronic art, artists, hardware and software, career advice, where to seek training, women-focused music and art resources, links to relevant organizations, magazines, and email lists, and a lot more.)

asterisk WWWomen:Personal/Girls
(Like FeMiNa, WWWomen is a women-related search engine. This multi-page section offers sites of particular interest to girls.)

asterisk Zoey's Room - A Tech Know Community for Girls
("Zoey's room is an online community for girls ages 10-14, a place where girls can go to explore math, science and technology in a fun, safe and creative environment." Zoey's room offers an online collaborative community, a chance to communicate with Zoey in her chat room, Fab Female role model online chats, a place to showcase girls' creative work, and hands-on challenges that lead to big prizes such as digital cameras.)


Go back to complete list of women-related web sites


Copyright 2023 by Joan Korenman.

Please send all additions and corrections to: Joan Korenman.   However, please do not ask me to suggest web sites or other resources. I unfortunately do not have time to respond to such requests. Many thanks.