T-shirt backlash highlights why girls are opting out of advanced math
Researchers say stereotypes, confidence and social signals help explain why fewer Australian girls choose higher-level math.
By Tom Brennan · Health & Medicine Correspondent
3 min read
A slogan T-shirt sold by Australian label Lioness has drawn criticism from science leaders and renewed attention on why fewer girls choose advanced mathematics. Researchers Bronwyn Reid O'Connor and Ben Zunica, writing for The Conversation, say the issue is not girls' ability but the messages they receive about who belongs in math.
The yellow cotton shirt carries the phrase, “I'm too pretty to do math,” according to The Conversation. The label has faced criticism in Australia, where the garment has prompted debate about stereotypes linking femininity with a lack of interest or skill in mathematics.
Ability is not the gap, researchers say
Reid O'Connor and Zunica cite decades of research showing girls can succeed in math at the same level as boys. They say research evidence has largely rejected the idea that boys are naturally better at the subject, with differences in achievement tied more to social and motivational factors than biology.
Even so, participation remains uneven in Australia. The Conversation reported that girls are less likely than boys to take advanced mathematics in Years 11 and 12, subjects that include calculus and help prepare students for university study.
According to the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute, female students made up 36.5% of higher mathematics enrolments in 2025. The Conversation also cited 2025 NAPLAN results showing 14.4% of Year 9 boys reached the top numeracy level, compared with 9.2% of girls.
Confidence and interest shape subject choices
Studies cited by Reid O'Connor and Zunica point to self-perception and interest as major reasons girls move away from math. Girls may view themselves as less capable than male classmates even when their actual ability is similar, the researchers wrote.
Those beliefs can begin early. The Conversation said children form ideas about who math is “for” through signals from parents, teachers, peers, media and wider society.
When girls repeatedly encounter the idea that mathematics is a masculine field, the researchers said it can affect their confidence, sense of belonging and willingness to continue studying the subject. In that context, they argued, a slogan suggesting math conflicts with prettiness is more than a throwaway joke.
Why advanced math matters
Reid O'Connor and Zunica also said the shirt reinforces the idea that appearance can stand in for intellectual effort. They warned that this message can add to existing pressures girls face over body image by suggesting beauty is a primary measure of value.
Advanced math matters because it can affect later study and work options, according to The Conversation. The researchers described math as a gateway subject for tertiary education, with relevance beyond science, technology and engineering.
They said mathematical skills also underpin fields such as economics, medicine, finance and business. The Conversation cited evidence linking strong numeracy with well-being, employment and earning opportunities.
The researchers said the answer is not to push every girl into becoming a mathematician. They argued that children should have the chance to study math without stereotypes shaping what they think they can do.
Math should be presented as creative and collaborative as well as technical, Reid O'Connor and Zunica wrote. They said reasoning, problem-solving and persistence are central to the subject and have no connection to gender.
This story draws on original reporting from Phys.org.