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Feminist panels for science and why I avoid them

Someone recently asked me if I attend panel discussions or other meetings related to women's issues in science. And I replied that I don't. In fact I actively avoid it and decline the invitation even when someone specifically asks me to be on the panel. This got me thinking about why I don't like to attend these. After all, I do feel very strongly about equal participation of and opportunities for women in scientific research and other activities.  But somehow I don't feel like I am the right person to talk about or discuss serious issues, especially, at a public forum. 

These forums are generally used to discuss serious issues. Many girls actually face a lot of difficulty in accessing higher education. There is generally a severe lack of opportunity for them and the few that are available require them to fight hard battles against their own families for them to have a chance. Considering this ground reality, I, on the other hand, am one of the privileged few who has had all the support from her family and was given the freedom to pursue a career in science. I also had very good mentorship during my PhD where I was encouraged to do my best and aim for the highest. Given this fact, I feel I am too privileged to have an opinion or to dish out advice on the serious issues faced by women who have actually had to fight hard battles to reach where they are today. 

However, even in this relative privilege, there still are systemic issues that academic institutes and academicians need to work on. One important aspect of personal life that often goes against women is that of marriage. Many Institutes in India and around the world have a bias against hiring women who are married. Hiring committee members sometimes make callous remarks, such as, a woman is too much into her marriage and kids and therefore may not be able devote as much time to research. This kind of remark is often made by the already married men who also have children of their own but are somehow themselves exempt from the same judgment. The hypocrisy is real. A related issue arises when women are sometimes not taken seriously with regards to their profession. Prof. Sumathi Rao has written about this in her autobiographical essay, https://www.hri.res.in/~sumathi/sumathiessay.html, which is an inspirational read. It definitely requires dedication and strength to go ahead and change the field of research at the stage of the career where she did. Another commonplace remark is of how girls somehow distract "good" boys and take them away from research. It is as if these boys have no will of their own and the girls pursue them without their consent. This is obviously not true and again is a very callous remark.  

I do retort if I'm within earshot when these remarks are made. But, this is a systemic issue that can only be changed one remark at a time and with more women in the mix. There is no magic wand to go 20 years into the future when things are more normalized and the bias is less. Time will do its trick gradually, and we have to do our part until then. But, I don't think I have any role to play in the many panel discussions that happen. I believe I can play a much more active role in stopping or at least discouraging the callous remarks that are made every now and then through the year rather than on a panel discussion or a meeting that happens once a year. So, this is the thought process that comes into play when I decline those invitations. I hope there comes a time when there is true equality, when there is no bias, when women don't second guess themselves and confidently move ahead in step with the men.  Until then, we keep trying.

xxRS


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