I wanted to post a brief vignette here today — it’s women-in-physics related, although not specifically pregnancy-in-physics related. Today, one of my male colleagues illustrated beautifully how to be a great ally to women in the physical sciences. Here’s the play-by-play:
- Male physics professor forwards an article about Tim Hunt’s boneheaded comments to me and a few other female science faculty.
- I write back saying, essentially, “It’s awesome that you’re aware of this and sending it around, and it would be even more awesome if you sent it to some men too.”
- He writes back and says “Good point! Women don’t need to hear this — they live it. I’ll forward it around more broadly!” Then he sends it out to a science faculty list.
And thus ends today’s lesson on how to be a great ally and not get freaked out and defensive. 🙂
The Pregnant Physicist 
I love how you responded to him and that he listed without getting defensive! 🙂
Oh and I just read the link – seriously, who says that?! Heck, who even thinks that way?
Nobel Prize-winning scientists, apparently. 🙂 Unbelievable, isn’t it? Except I’ve been around long enough now to know that it’s not unbelievable — the surprising thing is that he thought it was OK to say it out loud. At an event honoring women in science, no less.
I totally agree with My Perfect Breakdown.
Well done!
Thank you! It was well done all around — I love it when professional interactions work out so nicely with so much good will on all sides. 🙂