How The X-Files Helped Shape Modern Fandom — Including Shipping

One of the most important aspects of The X-Files is The Scully Effect. In 1993, there were few female characters on television that went beyond the traditional ideas of a woman. Most were wives and mothers, and if they did have careers, they were never in STEM [science, technology, engineering, mathematics] fields. Scully’s expertise helped encourage young women to pursue careers in the field. In a 2018 survey by the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, 63% of women in STEM fields cited Dana Scully as a role model. I am not scientifically inclined, but I did consider a career at the FBI when I was younger. Then I learned that the X-Files was not a real division and that was the end of that. Read More…