July 5th, 2018 was the first annual #LGBTSTEMday, organized by Pride in STEM, Out in STEM, InterEngineering, and House of STEM. As a capper to pride month, queer scientists took to twitter and social media to share their stories, reflect on queer science, and post lots of rainbow-themed science pictures. Below is a round-up of a few posts that I found worth bookmarking, plus some tweet threads.
American Geophysical Union, From the Prow: LGBT STEM Day: Time to talk about it
AGU is my “home” professional association, and has been pro-active (at least compared to some other organizations) about promoting diversity, creating policy to combat harassment, and speaking out about science policy. I was glad to see someone from the AGU Board of Directors writing directly about her experiences as a queer woman in the geosciences.
Nature comment: LGBTQ Scientists are still left out
“In science, where our personal lives already take a back seat, it can feel unprofessional or career-damaging to be open about something as personal as our LGBTQ identity, and no scientist should feel pressure to do so. But without visibility, other scientists will not benefit from a sense of belonging and inclusion.” Striking a balance between outspoken-ness and professionalism can be difficult – that’s true for any under-represented minority. But the often “invisible” nature of LGBTQ scientists has its own twist on that struggle.
Science Careers: Visibility matters: a conversation with the co-founder of 500 Queer Scientists
Dr. Lauren Esposito talks further about why visibility and community building matters so much to queer scientists. Even if someone is not in a position where they would feel comfortable being out, we can help them feel less isolated. Knowing you are part of a larger community, having people you can reach out to or role models you identify with – all these help scientists cope.
Dr. Alex Bond has been writing on his blog about being LGBTQ in STEM for years, and had quite a few great posts this past pride month. Some highlights include asking why professional organizations aren’t engaging in LGBTQ diversity and inclusion, a Queer in Science Ask Me Anything, and essential reading for straight allies. And dig into his archives on queer science!
One professor’s experience as queer in science (thread)
Being a good ally of queer scientists (thread)
Why does #LGBTSTEMday even exist?
And many, many rainbows of science!