One of the advantages of working in a lab with a healthy gender balance is that sexist behaviour does not really get a chance. I can't vouch for the echelons of management, but at least here on the ground anyone attempting to discriminate, put down or otherwise disrespect on the basis of gender is likely to get walloped severely.
I should like to think that visiting speakers would be subject to similar scrutiny.
The problem is that this casual sexism is institutionalized. People, even 'ordinary', 'decent' people think it's normal. And it isn't. The test is to ask yourself,
"If this person was male, would I treat her the same way?"
And if the answer's "No", reconsider. Because I might be standing behind you with a cluebat.
Comments
So true. I sometimes need to remind myself about the same thing (not the touching...duh..) but what kind of things I expect from people.
The story you refer to though, I guess I am not as institutionlised since I would have thought it creepy. Would I have done something about it? Probably not - you know all the stuff about fire, smoke and "it wasn't that bad". He was still way wrong to behave that way and I got happy reading her PI thought it was unacceptable.
Posted by: challenge | May 16, 2008 03:27 AM
Interesting. Do you see women behaving in a sexist manner, also? Flirting, basically, with the powerful males in senior roles, when they happen to be around. Or exaggerated over-friendliness when they spot a "more powerful than them" female? (Very different from their behaviour when they see a "peer rank" or "subordinate rank" female (or male) walk past). [Rankings in the estimation of the person exhibiting the behaviour, as opposed to any objective scale, of course.]
Posted by: Maxine | May 16, 2008 06:54 AM