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The Map Center
@mapcenter.com

A mom just came in SO EXCITED to find a map store bc her son would LOVE it. She tries to be coy. "My son is... Really into maps. Real special kid." I'm like, ma'am, this is a map store. Half my customers are on the spectrum. I have a trains and transit section. You're among friends.

Starre Vartan
@starrevartan.bsky.social

I'm a straight middle-aged lady who loves maps (and trains)! And did so as a kid - my grandma loved them & showed me how to read them. I navigated us alllll around Florida on a road trip when I was 8! I think often people don't show little girls maps or think they will love them but some of us do!

The Map Center
@mapcenter.com

There are studies that show that there are gender imbalances in sense of direction but they disappear after subjects are given a few weeks of map puzzle games. We assign boys lots of spatio-temporal demanding tasks and it helps them! In other words: practice makes you a better navigator, not sex.

2 reposts63 likes

Starre Vartan
@starrevartan.bsky.social

Hey thanks! That page just went up a week or so ago, and then it was down and then up again. It's not out for over 6 months so I think they are probably organizing with other books coming out when mine is or something? I'm going to wait until January to do my full "ta da!!!" post.