Mea culpa
Earlier this week the Gimlet Media podcast Science Vs posted on Twitter that they were soliciting stories of harassment and discrimination from women.
When I saw this, I tagged several women scientists whose stories I have learned from to share their experiences. I also predominantly tagged women of color, because I felt their perspectives had been missing from conversations about harassment in STEM.
This was wrong.
My intentions are irrelevant given that my actions were harmful, but I want to delve into my logical fallacy for just a moment so that I can hopefully prevent others from making the mistake that I did.
Because stories concerning women’s negative experiences in STEM fields have predominantly featured white women, I hoped to include the stories of women of color, whose experiences with harassment and discrimination are complex in their own way. However, in spotlighting these women, I exploited their pain and created potential for them to unwillingly re-live past trauma. I apologize to the women that I tagged and to anyone else who my tweet upset.
Moving forward, I will work to make sure that I do not inadvertently perpetrate such harms and will instead seek opportunities where my colleagues’ unheard voices can be amplified and they can be forces for positive change.
The government (for the first time ever when the same party holds a Congressional majority and occupies the Presidency) has shut down because Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell created a false dichotomy. Here’s hoping that it is dealt with speedily so that those affected can continue earning their incomes and resume living peacefully.
Imagine being in graduate school and not knowing if you would be deported before you were awarded your degree. Life as a DACA recipient presents additional challenges to young scientists (including exclusion from federal grant applications).
On the anniversary of President Trump’s first year in office, women are once again taking to the streets.
If, like me, you are unable to march today — you can view a compilation of marches from around the world here.
- During President Trump’s first year in office, 1 in 3 staffers left (either through firing, resignation, or promotion) — a turnover rate higher than the past five presidents.
- 2017 is the second-hottest year on record. 2016 is the first — and only because of the El Niño.
- “ What we need to talk about are the cultural conversations rising up around the Ansari incident. What we need to talk about is training men to read women the way women have been trained to read men.” — Sonora Jha discusses how Aziz Ansari can help raise feminist sons.
- Find 30 minutes in your day to listen to this episode of It’s Been a Minute, where New Yorker Editor Kevin Young discusses his new book Bunk and the connections between hoaxes and race.
- “ Rather than calling people out …… we should focus instead on how and why the language they used was oppressive … This way, people can reflect on and address the impact of their actions, rather than focusing on defending their character or intentions.” — DJ Jay Smooth in this article about how acknowledging racially disparaging comments in conversation are beneficial to our health.
- Read about and celebrate the life of Ben Barres (1954–2017), a transgender neuroscientist who made academia a better place.
