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Written By: Leah Salinsky (Guest Writer)
With the number of women in STEM fields growing, there are so many things we should be proud of. Times are finally starting to change and we are lucky enough to be at the forefront of it all. But, we still have quite a ways to go. I think before we can see even more growth of women in science, we need to start addressing some of the problems coming from our own people.
Coming into the world of academia, nothing could have prepared me for the level of internalized misogyny that is present, even at more progressive universities. Despite being feminists, some form of internalized misogyny likely exists in the majority of us. To clarify, the concept of internalized misogyny is when women subconsciously project sexist ideals onto other women and even themselves. This internalized misogyny is likely rooted in the patriarchal ideals and the stereotypes that have long been associated with what it is to be “feminine”. Upon choosing STEM majors or fields, we are often warned that we are stepping into a “man’s world” because we are choosing a path that wasn’t traditionally female.
Thus, in order to break into the STEM world, many of our predecessors had to create a different image for themselves, one that allowed them to compete with men on a more equal playing field. And in many cases, this meant going to the complete other side of the coin, giving up many of the traditionally feminine concepts such as starting a family or dressing in colors or outfits that may come off as too “girlie”. And while I know this movement was necessary and I am thankful for the sacrifices these incredible women made for all of women-kind, I think it’s time that we start letting women in STEM be themselves, without the pressure of these expectations. I know, that sounds easier said than done, but where do we start?
Mentorship for women in STEM is an extremely influential experience. And thankfully, there are some incredible mentors out there who have really encouraged their mentees towards greatness and pushed for them to be themselves along the way. However, there still seems to be a portion of female STEM mentors that take a different route. These mentors seem to focus more on the “I had to struggle, so should you” mentality with clear signs of internalized misogyny. We are often told that they are “preparing us for the future” and shaping us into the type of women that can succeed like they did.
However, this type of mentorship can be detrimental to a mentee’s development and at times, feel isolating and demeaning. Personally, I’ll never forget, after being berated by my mentor for an experiment not working, her saying “You remind me of myself in graduate school, so emotional.” Or when I finally learned how to keep my emotions inside during difficult one-on-one meetings, hearing her say, “Look at you, you’re not crying!” She often told me that we, as women, didn’t have the luxury of being able to display emotion in the workplace if we ever expected to be taken seriously. Over time, I realized that she didn’t understand how her words impacted me; she really thought she was “toughening me up” so that I’d be able to handle the field.
Maybe she was right, maybe she was wrong, but I spent so much time thinking there was something wrong with me because I had these emotions that I couldn’t always hide. I often found myself wondering if I was too emotional, too much of a “girl” to succeed as a scientist. Looking back now, I can see the internalized misogyny my mentor projected onto me–the idea that showing emotion is an inherently feminine concept that shows weakness–and understand that I started to project it onto myself as well.
But, despite what society has tried to tell us for generations, there is so much power in being a woman, no matter the environment. And that power is something that should be embraced and cultivated into something strong and beautiful, not something to be ashamed of.
Now, as I’ve started to have my own students to mentor, I find myself looking back on my own experiences with my mentors. Some were incredible, some not so much. But they all made me into the woman and scientist that I am today. And now that the baton has been passed to me, I've been reflecting on the things my mentors did well and the things I wish they did. As it is now my responsibility to empower my mentees, I hope to be part of the generation of mentors that breaks away from the internalized misogyny that plagues the world of academia. We have to take initiative to create the changes we wish to see in the STEM world, and I think empowering mentees to express themselves is a crucial step. With the number of women in STEM growing, it starts with us to create a supportive, inclusive environment for those around us and those that follow us. I only hope to create a safe environment where my students feel safe and empowered in such an intense world, one where they can still be themselves AND be incredible scientists.