tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6374266320411149509.post4951836994988994725..comments2024-03-25T10:22:36.277-04:00Comments on Women In Astronomy: Let's Talk about Street HarassmentAmanpreet Kaurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08734178178113146899noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6374266320411149509.post-9862822516544563112015-04-15T16:53:07.711-04:002015-04-15T16:53:07.711-04:00Very enlightening and personable article; thank yo...Very enlightening and personable article; thank you for sharing your experiences.Me=You: Sexual Harassment Awarenesshttps://instagram.com/meequalsyousha/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6374266320411149509.post-16076862414565278142015-03-20T10:29:28.834-04:002015-03-20T10:29:28.834-04:00Anon 1 - you want to know what can be done "a...Anon 1 - you want to know what can be done "administratively" to stop harassment at conferences? That will take associations stepping up to adopt, publicized, and enforce anti-harassment policies. Until the people who produce the meetings (associations, scientific societies, etc.) are willing to eject harassers from their meetings, they won't stop. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6374266320411149509.post-51376244930226084002015-03-13T12:27:36.080-04:002015-03-13T12:27:36.080-04:00I had a really frustrating experience this morning...I had a really frustrating experience this morning. I was on my way to an important appointment with my faculty Dean when I got catcalled by one of the cleaning staff in the faculty building. It was really quite surprising to me - it is so totally inappropriate and yet it is somehow something that this man felt he had a right to do even though he is in his work environment and I am almost certainly someone also in my work environment. I don't think I look like a student anymore. But even then it would be just wrong. <br /><br />I stopped. And turned to him and told him that it is inappropriate for him to talk to me that way. His response? A huge grin and he kept leering at me - appraising me head to toe. <br /><br />I walked away and got into the elevator to make it to my meeting and immediately started running through my mind if there was something I did to call this on. Am I inappropriately dressed? I am wearing long pants, a top that goes almost to my neck and I had a sweater on. Wait did I put the sweater on before the catcalling or after? I hesitated. Does it matter? I am wearing flat shoes. There is nothing in how I am dressed that seemed to draw this on yet I stood there wondering. Is it because my hair is down in a plait but bits are loose from walking in the wind. I usually wear it up in a bun - is that the reason for this sudden unwanted attention? I started to tear up in the elevator about all of this. Which seems crazy given that nothing really happened right? <br /><br />By the time I got to my *very important* meeting, I was really distracted and upset and feeling like a female rather than my usual scientist self. <br /><br />I want to share this here because I think it is somehow worth knowing the effect that these sorts of interactions may have within our work environment. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6374266320411149509.post-33006165877331763782015-03-05T07:38:09.542-05:002015-03-05T07:38:09.542-05:00As I commented on the facebook thread: I personall...As I commented on the facebook thread: I personally had a really really terrible time with street harassment at my first international conference (as a masters student). It kinda ruined the experience and made me seriously doubt whether or not I wanted to continue in astronomy. I would prefer to never visit that city again, but sadly I have colleagues there and I may have to go at some point (I'm a PhD student). For me (and I'm sure many others), street harassment has directly affected my work as an astronomer.abigailhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03635321482394451955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6374266320411149509.post-47916818211466368912015-03-05T02:02:31.313-05:002015-03-05T02:02:31.313-05:00I have added the following paragraph to the above ...I have added the following paragraph to the above post, which I hope helps Anon 1 (and others like him/her) connect why this topic is especially relevant to professional astronomers. I will no longer be publishing derailing comments. Any further comments should be engaging with the content of the post:<br /><br />Street harassment is a problem in general, but is especially prevalent on college campuses (where many astronomers work), is especially scary at night and in isolated places (when and where astronomical observing happens), can affect how safe someone feels traveling alone to unfamiliar places (like conferences and observatories) or how late they feel comfortable staying at work. Street harassment is something, that while might seem like a non-astronomy issue, actually can have real impact on the professional life of an astronomer because it affects one's ability to travel freely through the world without fear of violence or abuse.berkeleyjesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00255252868558666987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6374266320411149509.post-75609749266113726872015-03-05T01:29:27.836-05:002015-03-05T01:29:27.836-05:00Anon 1 -- It's Dr. Kirkpatrick.Anon 1 -- It's Dr. Kirkpatrick.berkeleyjesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00255252868558666987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6374266320411149509.post-15728817919159482962015-03-05T01:22:44.583-05:002015-03-05T01:22:44.583-05:00Anon 1 here,
First of all, let me say that I am no...Anon 1 here,<br />First of all, let me say that I am not in any way discounting the issues mentioned in this post, nor am I downplaying the severity of the issue.<br /><br />All I am merely trying proposition is this: <br />This is an issue that affects every member of society. It's not exclusive to astronomy.<br /><br />Here's the line of reasoning that I don't agree with:<br />Issue X affects all women of society. Woman Y is a part of society and happens to be an astronomer. Therefore, issue X belongs in woman Y's astronomy blog.<br /><br />Topics like what Anon 2 mentioned <i>"plenty of women get harassed at the AAS meetings (particularly undergrads presenting posters)"</i> are very relevant to an astronomy blog and would be useful to read and learn more about. (I'm actually curious as to what can be done on the administrative end to prevent this from happening in future meetings.)<br /><br />Topics like what Mr. Murphy said <i> "street harassment is pervasive on college campuses, and in the neighborhoods around where many astronomers work" </i> are a consequence of social behaviours, and not necessarily rooted in the field of astronomy. <br /><br /><b>My point is that while it is an important issue to discuss, there are more relevant issues that one could write about in a blog specific to issues women face in the field of astronomy (again, I'm not downplaying this in the slightest).</b> <br />A few things that are more specific to astronomy might be: promoting women in STEM, maternity leave in academia, systematic gender bias in physics/astronomy departments, and maybe highlighting scientific results and achievements by women astronomers that wouldn't be picked up in press releases. Disclaimer: I am in no sense an authority on what should or should not be posted on this blog. Just someone with an opinion.<br /><br />p.s.<br />In reply to what Mrs. Kirkpatrick said, <i>"So I guess I don't understand what issues you think are appropriate for this blog if not an issue that affects most women in astronomy."</i>, I am not one to decide what issues are appropriate for this blog. This is entirely your (your in the collective sense) blog and you have every right to include whichever topic you choose to. Just that as a reader of this blog, this topic seems quite far removed from the core list of issues surrounding the field.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6374266320411149509.post-37186629538424754982015-03-04T17:35:28.313-05:002015-03-04T17:35:28.313-05:00Anonymous -- That is an interesting question. I gu...Anonymous -- That is an interesting question. I guess I would ask you what % of women in astronomy would need to be affected by an issue for it to be appropriate for this blog? <br /><br />25%? 50%? 100%? Considering the statistics shown in this post -- that close to 100% of women in general have at some point experienced street-harassment -- I suspect that a similar percentage of women in astronomy have also experienced street-harassment. <br /><br />Street-harassment happens on university campuses, when people are traveling to and from work, when they are traveling for conferences or observations. It's something that affects women feeling safe moving through the world, and it affects many astronomers. <br /><br />So I guess I don't understand what issues you think are appropriate for this blog if not an issue that affects most women in astronomy.berkeleyjesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00255252868558666987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6374266320411149509.post-67665672877712977322015-03-04T15:32:08.848-05:002015-03-04T15:32:08.848-05:00In response to the anonymous comment above: street...In response to the anonymous comment above: street harassment is pervasive on college campuses, and in the neighborhoods around where many astronomers work. When street harassment happens on or near college campuses, this is workplace harassment and essentially classroom harassment. <br /><br />Astronomers do not live in a vacuum. As we are working for equity and inclusion in our field, we need to recognize the boundary conditions that our society sets for this work. Pervasive street harassment has a real impact on many astronomers. <br /><br />Thank you Jessica for this post!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07593516408299089206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6374266320411149509.post-3661054014335953082015-03-04T15:22:41.606-05:002015-03-04T15:22:41.606-05:00Actually, this is relevant to astronomy. For insta...Actually, this is relevant to astronomy. For instance, plenty of women get harassed at the AAS meetings (particularly undergrads presenting posters). Another issue is when astronomers are traveling on work trips in unfamiliar places. I personally felt scared or anxious walking around foreign cities where I didn't know what to expect but which had reputations for increased levels of harassment (like Italy... and I refused to go to a conference in India from what I heard about that). I'm sure this can have an impact on women's job advancement if they are fearful to go certain places. I'm not (and neither is Jessica) just being paranoid or making a lot out of nothing... these things are too common. I went on an observing trip once with another woman astronomer and waiting in the airport a man was staring at us, then he put his hand down his pants... in the airport. I later saw the same man at the AAS meeting, where we were both heading. Luckily I was not alone at the meeting, but I was sufficiently scared to have people like that around at what is supposed to be a safe professional meeting. In short, yes, this is relevant to the women in astronomy group.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6374266320411149509.post-837990009755105742015-03-04T14:41:50.210-05:002015-03-04T14:41:50.210-05:00I understand that this is an important issue that ...I understand that this is an important issue that needs to be discussed, but I'm curious as to how this relates to astronomy. Yes, street harassment is a huge problem in today's society and it happens everywhere, but I'm just not convinced that a women in astronomy blog is the appropriate platform to voice this issue on.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com