Mid-Semester Essay Assignment
Gender Bias and Racism in Science
In today’s society, things have changed for the better for women and people of color in science but like anything else it was ugly before it got pretty. For starters, women in general had to face extreme gender bias because they were either the assistance or looked at as the help in the lab. Also, racism itself made it difficult for African Americans to be apart of science. Lastly, if you were a woman and African American you had an even bigger problem and had to fight harder to get recognized. Overall, Gender bias and racism go hand and hand for women and people of color not being equal to white men in science.
First, I want to get into the women being looked at as less than men. Male scientists would be nothing honestly if women aren’t there to contribute their services. I believe that it’s an ego thing for male scientists because they are afraid women will out due them in the field. This is why it’s very important that we have more female scientists to prove this idea wrong. Even back then it wasn’t that easy for women to prove men differently because women would be considered as witches if they did anything related to science. So, they had to settle for being assistants or the help in the lab.
Secondly, in some cases women are able to get into credit for their work but their personal lives are one the line. Men generally get away with almost anything but once a woman does anything wrong that when she looked at differently. Marie in Radioactive, had this same problem she fell in love with the wrong man and she soon received a letter saying to don’t come and receive her Nobel Prize for her research. She responded, “The steps that you advise seem to me a grave error…. There is no connection between my science work and the facts of private life” (Redniss 2010). I agree with what she says because this is very disrespectful.
Another point I would like to make is male scientists are also looked at as the hero and the women as damsel in distress. In Oreskes reading, she goes on to talk about how heroism is for the male in science and women aren’t looked at as the hero. She states, “Attributes associated with masculinity, heroic renders the female scientist invisible’’(Oreske,1996). In class we had a discussion about the first thing you think of when you think of a scientist and the majority of the class said a white male scientist which is very sad. Women have contributed to science just as much as men have and the fact that society has a specific perspective of who fits the bill to be a scientist is brainwash.
For to long women have been looked down upon or seen as “invisible” but that doesn’t stop us from proving men wrong. Female scientist in the making and the ones that are already in the field are breaking down barriers. With that being said feminist in science think that objectivity is on the female scientist side more so than heroism. According to Oreskes, “ Feminist scholars in particular have focused attention on the ideal of objectivity, and some have argued that science objectivity, with its emphasis in. the detachment of the observer from the natural world, is a gender-linked idea, reified by the image of the male scientist scrutinizing and even oppressing female nature”(Oreskes, 1996). I can agree that objectivity gives women scientists the respect and recognition they deserve even though society says otherwise.
Also, there’s still racism present in the science field which makes it hard for people of color to contribute, as well. In this country, African Americans have been facing a very long fight that seems to be continuous even today. In the film Hidden Figures, the three women (Dorthey, Katherine, and Mary) had to go through so much to make sure they kept their jobs even though they had degrees. The idea that feeds into belittling or having a certain attitude about people of color is called white supremacy. The culture of white supremacy doesn’t just affect the way African Americans are treated but also how we’re looked at as well. Okun talked about multiple characteristics that create the perspective of white supremacy. These characteristics contributed to making it hard for people of color to be a part of science. According to Okun,” defensiveness; the organizational structure is set up and much energy spent trying to prevent abuse and protect power as it exists rather than to facilitate the best out of each person or to clarify who has power and how they are expected to use it”(Okun 1999). This is one of the characteristics that I think stood out from the Okun reading that touches on the culture of white supremacy.
Moving forward, things have gotten a little better for African Americans in science but still have some challenges. In Hidden Figures, Mary would be a prime example of having to put in10x times the effort to be in the same room with other mathematicians. Nonetheless, we still face white supremacy and a characteristic that would describe it would be power hoarding. Okun’s states, “those with power assume they have the best interests of the organization at heart and assume those wanting change are ill-informed (stupid), emotional, inexperienced” (Okun, 1999). This characteristic would refer to the old white male scientists that are still stuck in a time frame where their word is always right.
As we begin to tie both issues together, we can come to an understanding it didn’t get easier from there. During the 1960’s, it was very hard for African American women to get a decent job especially if they didn’t pursue higher education. Not to mention, the fact that they were more than qualified for the jobs they had before they were able to get better positions. The film also showed how they were treated poorly, and the workspace was very cramped and located in the basement. Overall, the treatment they were experiencing in the beginning of the film was terrible, but it ended off with the women getting the credit they deserve for the work they did for NASA.
In conclusion, women have been on a long roller coaster ride with the proper acceptance in the science field. It has gotten better but there is still more work to put in for making an effective change. For one we need more women in the science field especially with higher titles like doctors, engineers, and etc. Over time it will get better if we as incoming women scientists come together to prove men they need us. In sum, this is how gender bias and racism affect women in science.
Bibliography
Melfi, T. (Director). (2017). Hidden figures [Motion picture]. Milano: Twentieth century fox home entertainment.
Okun, T. (1999). White Supremacy Culture. Retrieved November 02, 2020, from https://www.dismantlingracism.org/uploads/4/3/5/7/43579015/okun_-_white_sup_culture.pdf
Oreskes, N. (1996). Objectivity or Heroism? On the Invisibility of Women in Science. Osiris, 11, 87–113. doi:10.1086/368756
Redniss, L. (2010). Radioactive: Marie & Pierre Curie: A Tale of Love and Fallout. New York, New York: HarperCollins Publisher.
