No, really, there’s no gender bias in the sciences!
1 o'clock, July 24, 2006
From the newly discovered Science + Professor + Woman = Me: “Maybe We Need A Phrasebook?”: women’s experiences with being mistaken for non-professors.
Q: What grade are you in?
A: 21st.
Q: Will you give this to Professor X?
A1: No . . . (pause for effect) You just gave it to her.
A2: Sure! (Takes it from them, and in an exaggerated fashion, hands it from her left hand to your right.) Done!
Q: So they had to hire a woman . . ?
A1: Yeah, they needed somebody to make up for the fact that they hired you.
A2: It was inevitable. Eventually they were bound to run out of mediocre men, and now the qualified women are finally getting a chance.
Q: So you’re doing a Ph.D.? Couldn't you find anyone to marry you?
A1: Nope, they just don’t make wives like they used to.
A2: I’ve already been married 6 times. I'm taking a break.