“Rippon is patient, though there is an urgency in her voice as she explains how vital it is, how life-changing, that we finally unpack – and discard – the sexist stereotypes and binary coding that limit and harm us.” “...perhaps it was time to abandon the age-old search for the differences between brains from men and brains from women. Are there any significant differences based on sex alone? The answer, she says, is no. To suggest otherwise is ‘neurofoolishness’.” “Neural plasticity throws the nature/nurture polarity out of the lab window. “Nature is entangled with nature,” says Rippon. Added to this, “being part of a social cooperative group is one of the prime drives of our brain.” The brain is also predictive and forward-thinking in a way we had never previously realised. Like a satnav, it follows rules, is hungry for them. “The brain is a rule scavenger,” explains Rippon, “and it picks up its rules from the outside world. The rules will change how the brain works and how someone behaves.” The upshot of gendered rules? “The ‘gender gap’ becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.” “...and she wants all children to know that their identity, abilities, achievements and behaviour are not prescribed by their biological sex. “Gender bombardment” makes us think otherwise. Male babies dressed in blue romper suits, female ones in pink is a binary coding that belies a status quo that resists the scientific evidence. “Pinkification”, as Rippon calls it, has to go. Parents don’t always like what they hear.” ;)

The Harmaleighs - Lady Brain

It’s also irrelevant in terms of the way society should operate, she says. For example, if a child can’t read, we give them extra lessons and find ways to help them improve. “We don’t say, it’s biologic so it must be natural and good for the child,” says Joel. “Likewise, we don’t celebrate aggression just because it is natural.”

fill my mouth with words that I should say // because my little lady brain couldn't find it's own array “After receiving comments like ‘wow I didn’t know a girl could play bass’ and ‘you guys are great for girls’, we decided it was time to write a song about the sexism we’ve experienced,” says the band. “‘Lady Brain’ tackles that issue with a sense of sarcasm in the lyrics and a floating pop melody. It wasn’t the easiest song for us to get off our chests, but we feel like it’s the most important one yet.“

The Harmaleighs - “Lady Brain”

THE HARMALEIGHS : LADY BRAIN