It cannot be stressed enough how important it is that more women are held up as career role models for young women to look up to as examples of success
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I’m not sure if you followed the Twitter hashtag phenomenon of female scientists reacting to Tim Hunt’s comments about the problem with women in labs, #DistractinglySexy, but it’s hilarious. As if women who decide to become laboratory science professionals have time to do much of anything besides conduct research, attend to data, and perform lab tests & experiments. His comments—whether serious or sarcastic—instigated a Twitter-based response to the ideas.
It cannot be stressed enough how important it is that more women are held up as role models for young women to look up to as examples of what can be done, career-wise. This Twitter-based controversy also demonstrated how quickly rumors can spread on the Internet and social media, serving as a cautionary tale to public figures and journalists. Lucy Rhiannon points out that the #DistractinglySexy hashtag phenomenon was largely jocular: “I even heard it said on Radio 4 this morning that ‘Tim Hunt was hounded from his job by a Twitterstorm.’ This is patently not the case.” Regardless of the actual events that transpired, Tim Hunt resigned.
Moving forward, it is possible for us to take this Twitter phenomenon—similar to the hashtag #ILookLikeanEngineer—and use it for good: to spread the word that we are, in fact, living in the year 2015 and women as laboratory scientists, engineers, or other STEM-related roles are nothing to be surprised about. As Thomas Levenson points out, however, gender bias definitely exists for women attempting to obtain positions in laboratories where they will be performing the same work as men:
In 2010, researchers at Yale performed a now notorious résumé study to show the persistence of gender bias at the entry level of science. Professor Jo Handelsman, a molecular biologist; a post-doc Corinne Moss Racusin; and other colleagues prepared résumés that differed in only one detail: in half of them, the subject’s name was John, and in the other half, Jennifer.
Those résumés with (again, identical) supporting material were sent out to 127 scientists who were asked to rate the applicants as potential lab managers. When the replies came back, “John” trumped “Jennifer” on every trait except likability — and was slotted in for a salary $3,730 dollars higher than his fictional female twin.
In the face of all this hiring and earnings bias, what are woman to do? Become leaders in our fields? In the above study, notably, many of the scientists doing the hiring were themselves women—as Levenson points out. Therefore, the other necessary element to combatting this bias is an inherent awareness on all our parts to both hire more women and to pay them equally for doing the same work.
I’m not sure how any of these tendencies are likely to change in a substantial way without legislation and deliberate awareness on the part of each of us to change the status quo. Since the latter element is most often missing, it seems that legislation is the next logical step. Well, that legislation was passed in 2012 with the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, but pay differences still exist as the wage gap has remained stagnant for the last decade. Those are frustrating statistics to deal with.
One way we can combat this bias is by going into leadership positions ourselves. A great example is the nursing field—an area in which men are the minority, although that’s changing due to the increasing viability of the job market when it comes to careers in nursing. Because there are so many online options for degrees such as a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), many women already employed as nurses have the option to consider greater leadership roles to be positions within their reach. Of course, there is a proverbial ladder to be climbed, as in any experience-based field; however, the need for administrators in the nursing field is great and not likely to diminish any time soon.
It’s crucial that we continue to press onward toward making real gains for women’s equality, in terms of both pay and representation in the workplace. It’s important, too, to remember that, even as women, we may have an inherent bias toward other women. Continued awareness, as well as support of the ongoing battle for equal pay for equal work, is crucial to making real progress on this front. It’s also crucial for each of us to speak up when we notice instances of gender inequality around us, rather than allow small injustices to go unnoticed. The cumulative effect of these factors will hopefully result in real, lasting change—but only with all of our help.
Photo credits: Tom Bishop/U.S. Army RDECOM/Getty Images
I think being a good man means being a good man to himself, to other men, to women, to children, to all people and animals. Which means that we need to be open to discussing all kinds of topics that impact us and other people. I’m really sorry that those who responded to this piece don’t see the value in understanding how gender inequality works in the workplace and were not open to the article’s message. Where simply changing a name from female ones to a masculine ones, leads way to higher pay (and who knows what other benefits) just… Read more »
It is so great to have a place where men can come to get advice, converse with other men to know what it means to be a good man
oops, sorry, posted this to the wrong site.(at least they have completely given up trying to hide the fact this is a site for women)
Hi Zygor, I’m not sure why you don’t think women & men can have a conversation together about what it means to be good people in each other’s company. Isn’t that the point of diplomacy–and part the idea behind this site? This is the year 2015, after all. (I suppose if you want a men’s-only space, you might check out the local Masonic Lodge.) Here’s the first line of the site’s “About” description page: “The Good Men Project is a glimpse of what enlightened masculinity might look like in the 21st century.” Note the word “enlightened.” Listening to each other… Read more »
‘Tim Hunt was hounded from his job by a Twitterstorm.’ This is patently not the case.”
Oh well, as long as you say so…
Is that question rhetorical?
Is my question rhetorical?
Will this post survive moderation?
Is this post in anyway immoderate?
Have I reached the limit of questions in one post?
Can you still buy Post Toasties?( I always liked them with bananas.)
Yes you can! Apparently they used to be called Elijah’s Manna until some politically correct religious zealots of the time forced a name change.
I’m starting a distractinglyfunny hashtag.
Nurses rock!
Yes, PursuitAce. It seems that your comment is purely rhetorical. It doesn’t seem serious at all, so I’m not going to bother with a serious response.
I’m confused. I thought this was The Good “Man” Project?
Hi Tom,
I’m confused by your comment. Are you suggesting this site is exclusively for male writers?
Thanks & Cheers,
D.S.