“How much do women really talk?” Cristian Magnus, @QueerCoach threw us this challenging question at EMBL’s keynote for the LGBT in STEM Day event on 5 July. Now in its second year, this international day of recognition gives individuals and organisations an opportunity to showcase and celebrate the work and the lives of LGBTQ+ people in science, technology, engineering and medicine.
Magnus wanted to explore the negative stereotype that women speak too much, and by implication take more than their fair share of airtime. Research by Anderson and Daniels on Oscar-winning films and other studies show that our perception of how much time women actually spend speaking, whether in films, meetings or conferences, can be seriously flawed. Generally, we significantly overestimate how much women actually get to say – when we think that women have spoken for about half of the time, it’s actually about a third. (Check out this handy online meeting timer tool to try this for yourself.)
Magnus used this example to shine a light on how unquestioned stereotypes and biases can be hidden within what we assume to be ‘normal’ life. This doesn’t just extend to the difference between the sexes, but also to our expectations of the different genders in society. “Is there actually a fundamental difference between the sexes, and if so, what is it?” asked Magnus. “Hormones don’t cause the gender pay gap!”
He holds that our social norms skew how we both observe and define nature, including what it means to be male or female. For example, women struggle with being seen as both likeable and competent and they are often perceived as being less competent in STEM. Sexism privileges one sex over another, in this case men over women. Heteronormativity privileges the existence of two distinct genders, with separate roles and behaviours, in relationships with the opposite, rather than the same sex. However, he points out that there is a connection, identified in ‘Society at a Glance’ OECD data, between higher levels of senior women in society and acceptance of LGBT people, implying that sexism and heteronormativity can go hand in hand.
“Heteronormativity tends to mean that you are assumed to be straight, so you either out yourself or try to pass,” said Magnus. “In STEM, there can be a feeling that sexuality should be left outside the lab. However, I see sexuality as being like a drop of ink in water. It’s only part of you, but it affects everything.”
What can allies do to help? According to Magnus, allies should call people out for discriminatory actions and make sure they include perspectives other than their own in their work. We should challenge unconscious hidden bias and be aware of other people’s boundaries i.e. don’t ask intrusive questions but do be interested in colleagues’ lives. If there is a code of conduct at work, read it, follow it and speak out when others do not.
The consequences for LGBT+ people at work when we don’t do this were made starkly apparent in the report ‘Exploring the workplace for LGBT+ physical scientists’ jointly published by the Institute of Physics, Royal Astronomical Society and the Royal Society of Chemistry in June 2019. They reported that 28% of LGBT+ respondents to their climate survey had considered leaving their workplace due to discrimination. Nearly half of trans people had considered leaving due to the hostile climate. Of all respondents, 30% had personally witnessed harassment or other exclusionary behaviour, with 16% experiencing it themselves. Trans and non-binary people experienced the highest levels of exclusionary behaviour. While the majority thought that their organisation’s policies and procedures were supportive, 17% felt they were lacking or even discriminatory – which is in direct contravention of the Equality Act 2010.
According to the report, LGBT+ identity is often hidden, but those who are out to everyone were more likely to report a comfortable working climate. “This means that visibility has great importance,” said the report. “While visible identifiers, such as the rainbow flag or lanyards, help to create a culture of inclusion, the day to day actions of individuals at every level, particularly senior figures, often gave cause for concern.” The report calls for visible support for LGBT+ staff. They would like to see senior leaders and managers speaking out proactively, backed up by polices that address poor or difficult behaviour. Training could be much more effective in nearly all work environments, such as transgender inclusion, correct pronoun usage and bystander training. “Management and senior leaders need to exemplify good practice, reinforcing messages from the training.”
It can still be a challenge to involve all groups and cultures at work, who may not see discrimination relating to gender identity or sexuality as being relevant to them. Magnus pointed out in his talk that everyone is actually restricted by these norms. “Try wearing a skirt to work if you are male in most industries!” He was keen to stress that inclusion is not about criticising people for who they are, whatever their gender or sexuality, but about ensuring that no-one behaves in an exclusionary or discriminatory way. A message for all of us to take home, on LGBT in STEM Day – and every day.
KatieGee 