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Asked by goatscheese to Suzie, Sheila on 14 Mar 2011 in Categories: About.
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Sheila Kanani answered on 14 Mar 2011:
It can be, but the main thing you have to do is not let it get to you.
See the stereotypes question for more info too.
Space physics is a very ‘old, white, male’ world (I’m not being racist or rude by the way) so a young, indian girl really sticks out! This is a good thing and a bad thing!
And sometimes men can be much harsher than women, or ruder, or patronising, or more “to the point” which can sometimes be upsetting. Sometimes in the canteen they make jokes about women too!
The main thing to do is to not let them get to you and to make sure you are the best at what you do, so then they can’t tease you as they dont have a leg to stand on.
Also sometimes it can be a good thing, as men and women see things in different ways and do things in different ways, so if you are stuck on something it can be useful to show it to someone else as they might have more idea about it than you.
Sometimes women are worse to work with though because they are more catty and tend to talk behind someones back, but with guys if they dont like you at least they will tell you to your face!!
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Suzie Sheehy answered on 14 Mar 2011:
I wouldn’t say it’s “tough” but perhaps there are some slightly different challenges to being a male scientist. The most obvious one is that if you want to have children, you have to bear them! (at the moment, unless we invent male pregnancy…) But there is lots of support for helping women (and men) to take career breaks when they have children… so that problem is being addressed… although more could always be done.
I do work in a male dominated environment but to be honest I hardly even notice… the advice I’d have for other women wanting to be scientists is to do what you want, it doesn’t matter if you’re a woman or a man!
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