For many devoted females viewers of the hit sci-fi television series “The X-Files,” the show wasn’t just entertaining, it was was life-changing. Women who regularly tuned into “The X-Files” were 50% more likely to have worked in a science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) field, according to a recent survey conducted by the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media. Nearly all the women surveyed who were familiar with the series’ lead character, a female doctor and FBI agent named Dana Scully, said she is a role model for girls and women. And close to two-thirds attributed their belief in the importance of STEM to the fictional character.
The survey’s findings validate fans’ long-held belief in “The Scully Effect,” which suggests that women became interested in science fields because of Scully, played by actress Gillian Anderson throughout the show’s eleven seasons.