The equality4success Alternative Gift Guide

If you’re scratching your head trying to figure out what to get for everyone on your Christmas list, we’ve got some great suggestions that offer alternatives to the stereotypical Barbies and bath bombs or toy guns and ties options. We’ve split our gift ideas into categories for easy browsing so enjoy taking a fresh look at festive gift solutions. It might inspire a host of creative ideas!

We hope you enjoy our suggestions, get in touch to show us your nerdy stereotype-defying gifts on equality4success@babraham.ac.uk or on twitter (@equal4success)
 

Babies | Kids | Teenagers | Secret Santas | Non-Scientists | Booklovers | Best Friends | Partners

Please keep in mind, our selection is purely based on our commitment to supporting equality and diversity and challenging gender stereotypes. We’re not receiving any incentives to feature these products and we haven’t inspected them in person so we can’t say how well they perform. Inclusion in our list is not an endorsement of a product. Prices may vary from those indicated depending on retailer.

Babies

• It’s never too early to start babies learning about coding, and it’s especially cool that in this case the baby is a girl. Baby Loves Coding (Baby Loves Science series) by Ruth Spiro, £5.20
• Gender roles suck and your little one should let everyone know it! Gender Roles Onesie by BullishShop on Etsy, £15.29
• Learning the alphabet through wooden blocks is passé so introduce them to the periodic table instead with this set. Periodic Table Wooden Block Set by Radcliffe & Sloan, £67.50

Kids

• Lottie dolls are based on the proportions of an average 8 year-old so this stargazer, designed in collaboration with the European Space Agency, will give kids aspirations without promoting an unrealistic body image. Stargazer Lottie Doll, £21.99
• Budding scientists will be inspired by Ada’s curiosity as she performs experiments and continually asks that age old question, ‘Why?’ Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty, £8.53
• This hands-on activity set teaches programming skills though playing and experimentation with endless options for setting new configurations. Learning Resources Code & Go Robot Mouse Activity Set, £44.00

Teens

• Give the teenager in your life some stickers to show off their egalitarian ideas on their notebook, computer, water bottle, or wherever. Stickers from BadGirlStickers, AnthemStickerCompany, laurawingrove, and PositivelyPeculiar on Etsy, £1.50-£3.00 each
• For the teen who is constantly on their phone (and who among us isn’t?), give them a smartphone microscope that lets them capture the world around them in incredible detail. Discovery Channel PP4604DIS Smart Phone V2 Microscope, £7.99
• This primer will introduce teens and adults alike to queer theory and history in a clear and engaging way that will leave them entertained and better informed. Queer: A Graphic History by Meg-John Barker and Julia Scheele, £8.99

Secret Santa

• A statement mug will remind them and everyone in the office that inclusion is something we all need to work together to achieve. Diversity Inclusion Mug by RedDunPintoDesigns on Etsy, £11.60
• It may seem like a naff gift but everyone needs socks so why not brighten someone’s wardrobe with some fun science ones? Science Socks from Good Luck Sock, £7.80
• This colouring book is the perfect way to unwind while still thinking about how you can make a difference in the world. Mantras and Affirmations: Coloring Book for Activists and Allies by Bridget Owens, £9.86

Non-scientists

• This puzzle is a fantastic way to introduce people to some criminally overlooked women in STEM. Women in Science Puzzle by Rachel Ignotofsky, £11.49
• As our scientists have helped to show this year, algorithms and AI are increasingly making our big decisions. This accessible book can help everyone understand the benefits – and dangers – of our new robot overlords. Hello World: How to Being Human in the Age of the Machine by Hannah Fry, £9.99
• You’re never too old to think robots are cool and a walking, roaring t-rex is just about the coolest robot you can make yourself. Robotime 3D T-Rex Puzzle, £21.99

Book lovers

• Covering biology, psychology and anthropology, this conversational book reveals the biased science behind preconceptions about women and what this means for individuals and society today. Inferior: How Science Got Women Wrong – and the New Research That’s Rewriting the Story by Angela Saini, £4.49
• It’s never fun to acknowledge our own biases but this book should be on everyone’s reading list as it takes the reader through the science and explains how to align behaviour with good intentions. Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People by Richard Clarke, Mahzarin R Banaji, and Anthony G Greenwald, £9.77
• Peppered with beautiful illustrations, this empowering book celebrates 48 female scientists who made hugely important discoveries but have been overlooked, unacknowledged and misattributed. Forgotten Women: the Scientists by Zing Tsjeng, £9.69

Best friends

• You and your best friend probably stick together closer than a hydrogen bond but these nucleotides make the perfect ‘best friends forever’ memento for science nerds. Also available as a keychain set. Base Pair Necklaces from BiolojewelryandSuch on Etsy, £12.11
• Get your friends to play this chilling cooperative psychological survival game with a diverse cast and see if you can survive the zombie apocalypse or if there’s a traitor in your midst. Dead of Winter by Plaid Hat Games, £32.99
• Shirt = loud, bigots = quiet. Why be? T-shirt by Tmeprinting on Etsy, £11.19

Partner

• This gorgeous oxytocin print is a wonderful and geeky way to let them know they get your neurotransmitters going. Oxytocin Print by ArtistJAC on Etsy, £40.35
• This apron is perfect for the partners that split the cooking since it reminds you that everyone belongs in the kitchen because that’s where all the food is! Everyone Belongs Apron by The Outrage, £19.50
• Subscription boxes are the gifts that keep on giving and this couple’s book club will provide you and your significant other with tailored book choices for you to discuss for months to come. The Couple’s Book Club from The Willoughby Book Club, £44.99 for 3 months