Fight Sexual Harassment and Gender-Based Discrimination in Science Right Now
Listen to women. Believe women. Share the evidence. This is not the time to tell women in your field that “not all men” are violent or sexist. We know. The problem is that most men are silent in the face of the ongoing violence against their female peers and their silence makes them complicit. If you want to be an ally, don’t just express your sympathy, demonstrate your allyship by speaking out and supporting women. Educate other men about sexual violence in our field - the numbers don’t lie.
Know resources for victims. When we hear stories about sexual harassment and assault, we often don’t know what to do besides offering our sympathy. Educate yourself and share resources with victims. Offer to anonymously report misconduct on their behalf, with their permission. Understand that internal HR systems are not always geared toward helping victims, but are instead built to protect institutions. Encourage women who feel helpless to speak with counselors at organizations like RAINN. Also check out The Empowering Internet Safety Guide for Women.
Speak up when women are harassed or marginalized. When a female colleague has a good idea, repeat it, build on it, and give her credit by name. When a female colleague offers to do traditionally gendered work like taking notes in a meeting or serving food, encourage men to share the work instead. When a male colleague makes a comment about a female colleague’s appearance, contrast that immediately by saying what you appreciate about her work. When male peers make sexist comments, pull them aside and let them know how poorly their words and actions reflect on them and their institutions. Often, to be effective and heard, these interventions have to come from other men. When men fail to intervene, the burden falls on women to protect themselves.
Refuse to work with sexist colleagues. Make it clear to repeat offenders that they are harming everyone’s ability to do their work. Don’t write grants and papers with them. Don’t invite them to events. Refuse to participate in events to which they’ve been invited and tell the organizers why their participation makes you and your peers uncomfortable. Tell them sexism has no place in science.
Challenge your own sexism. Good allies critically self-examine their biases and understand that good people can also say sexist things. Allies should also challenge themselves, deeply, to think about how they have approached consent in their own lives and commit to doing better and ensuring that their sexual relationships are founded on proactive, enthusiastic, stated-out-loud consent.
Push for policy change. The American Geophysical Union has now classified sexual harassment as scientific misconduct, so ask your society to do the same. Push universities to transparently update and enforce anti-sexism policies and move toward zero-tolerance for harassment and assault.
Know your Title IX rights. An Obama-era directive clearly defined sexual harassment as a form of gender discrimination under Title IX, directing schools to evaluate harassment claims based on a “preponderance of evidence.” Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has rolled back that directive, issuing guidance that universities should instead consider a “clear and convincing standard” of proof. But this guidance doesn’t change your Title IX right to an investigation around sexual harassment or assault. In October, California Representative, Jackie Speier, introduced a bill that would codify the “preponderance of evidence” standard. Call your representatives and ask they support the bill.
Organize. We’re all in this together. Victims of sexual harassment and assault often feel isolated and powerless, but when a few of us start speaking out, we can fight back together against people in positions of power who abuse others. Join your closest 500 Women Scientists pod - membership is open to everyone! - or consider forming one at your campus or institution.
* We’ll update this list with more ideas and resources.