スクリプトは事前提出されたものですので、ビデオの音声とは異なる場合があります。

I'm going to be an engineer!
Why should that surprise many people?

Naito Yuna (Salesian Polytechnic)

When we start something new, we usually feel excited. For example, introducing yourself to the members of staff at your new part-time job should be a happy experience. However, the reaction I get from people, when I mention my chosen career path, always disappoints me. When I say I study Mechanical Engineering, they always look surprised. Always! The reaction makes me wonder why people are always surprised that a girl should be studying Mechanical Engineering. Do they think it's not the right field for girls? Why? Today, I'd like to consider with you some of the reasons why some people tend to hold such an opinion.

The first reason that comes to mind is that most of us are programmed by society to behave in a certain way according to our gender. I don't agree that the brains of men and women are genetically or biologically that different. I think a lot of the differences between men and women are mostly as a result of how they are raised. Girls are expected to play with dolls, and boys are expected to play with cars and guns. Of course, a lot of girls naturally like pink and boys like blue. However, I cannot agree that, just because I'm a girl, I have to play with dolls and be frowned upon for wanting to play with robots.

Secondly, Japan is one of the most conservative countries in the world. Conformity to the norm is expected. Most Japanese are happy to conform to the accepted way of doing things. So, customs are very important. People who don't conform tend to get pushed aside until they fall back in line. As we say, ‘the nail that sticks out gets hammered down.' A boy I know used to play the piano. He really loved music. However, his classmates used to sneer at him. They even made fun of him for playing the piano which they said was “a girl's pastime.” They made him feel ashamed of playing the piano. In the end, he gave up the piano, even though deep down he probably still loved it. Such stories really upset me. I think jealousy and envy played a part but we must change and not crush budding talent.

Lastly, I think that our families are the most important factor in our upbringing. I was lucky that I chose such good parents. My parents never put any restrictions on my play because I was a girl. When I was small, I used to love playing with the stuffed toy bear that my grandmother gave me. I also loved to play with my dolls and my toy-TOMICA, which is like a model car. Actually, I used to play with lots of different things. As I got a little older, I learned how to play the piano and cello. At that time, I admired a famous female conductor and I wanted to be a conductor just like her.

One day, while I was watching TV, I came across a program that featured the Kosen Robocon. One of the schools was awarded a special prize for a really cute robot design. I can't remember exactly what task the robot performed, but it looked like a dog and I clearly remember being really impressed by it. The school in question was Salesian Polytecnic. As I watched the program, a light went on above my head, and from that moment on, my mind was made up. I was determined to enter Salesian Polytechnic and learn how to build robots. Soon after that, I went and bought some kits for building robots and began doing some electronic work. It wasn't long before I discovered the real joy in using a soldering iron. So, seven years on, I find myself studying engineering at Salesian Polytechnic. I love to build robots. Does that make me un-feminine? Does that make me a tomboy? Some people might not understand, but it is not strange. It should not be a surprising thing.

A girl's dream to be an engineer shouldn't be frowned upon. We need to overcome prejudices and change attitudes. This should start with each family. One family taking action may not make a big difference in the country as a whole, but it will make a big difference for their children. That will act as a good example for others to follow. So, in time, it could make a big difference in Japan. The girl who makes robots, the boy who bakes cakes, is a good thing.