The t-shirt with six-word slogan sparking criticism across Australia
The t-shirt is yellow, 100% cotton and meant for “everyday wear”. Across the front, it declares in italic script, “I’m too pretty to do math”.
While some may see it as a joke, it is sparking widespread criticism from some of Australia’s science leaders.
The shirt, created by Australian label Lioness, has raised questions about the deep-rooted messages girls receive about who mathematics is for.
Research suggests girls receive signals from family and the community that it is OK – and even desirable – not to be “a maths person”. On the other hand, boys are more likely to have their mathematical potential recognised and encouraged.
What is happening with girls and maths? And what’s a better way to approach how they engage with the subject?
For decades, research has consistently shown girls are just as capable of succeeding in maths as boys.
The idea that boys are naturally better at maths is widely debunked by research evidence. Gender differences in maths achievement are largely explained by other reasons, including motivational and social factors, rather than biology.
Meanwhile, maths remains a strongly gendered field.
We know Australian girls are less likely to enrol in advanced mathematics subjects (which include calculus and prepares students for tertiary study) in years 11 and 12. As of 2025, only 36.5% of higher mathematics students were female.
In the 2025 NAPLAN tests, 14.4% of Year 9 boys achieved the top level in numeracy compared to 9.2% of girls.
If the issue is not ability, what is driving these participation differences?
Studies suggest the biggest causes of girls opting out of maths are differences in how girls’ perceive their own mathematical ability and their lower interest in the subject.
In short, girls see themselves as less capable, even when they have the same actual maths ability as their male classmates. They are also less interested in maths.
Children develop beliefs about who maths is and isn’t “for” from a very young age. These beliefs are shaped by the messages they receive from [parents], teachers, peers, the media, and society more broadly.
