Picture a Scientist

As a female person-of-color undergrad who aspires to pursue physics research, I have personally experienced many put-downs due to my gender.

I have always deeply admired those female scientists coming before me, for their unwavering courage and determination.

One would think that the very educated men in academia would be above acting like 13 year old bullies, but one would be wrong there. So glad that David Marchaunt was finally fired by Boston University, no man deserved it more! What these smart women have had to put up with for all of their careers is just so wrong! As a graduate student working on my Master in European History at Duquesne University in the 1970s, no one ever tried this crap on me, but then I was already married to a 6 foot 4 inch 200 pound recently ex- Air Force sergeant with very impressive muscles. Or maybe it was because it was a Catholic school, or perhaps history is not just primarily a male find. But no woman should have to put up with this sort of thing! That full professors in science at major universities have had to for many decades just show how very fragile men's egos are, that they can be so threatened by smart women in their fields. Their behavior is disgusting! Past time this horrible behavior was exposed!

From the very first minute I started crying. It was like somebody else is telling me my story.

Please make yourself aware of different type of harassment.

Please don't ignore the harassment by saying: "maybe it was a joke", "maybe you are too sensitive", "he doesn't mean it".

I liked the structure of the documentary. We get a definition of the problem, first-hand experiences, discussions about where the problem comes from, examples of how women have managed to create lasting change, and reasons why we should all care. Overall, it presents a good basis for discussion/action, regardless on how familiar you are with the topic.

Also, the protagonists are truly inspiring. Especially when they share their thoughts on how they navigate and respond to inappropriate behavior on a daily basis. As a white male, I have never had to think about these things - and I completely agree with some of the statements in the documentary: It is a complete waste of brilliant minds.

Because it is US-centric, it prompts me to look at how things are elsewhere. I hope to find at least progress.

Without taking sides -- if there really would be a choice even imagining such choice -- the documentary describes. It doesn't quite tell, speak or attempt to communicate some events, personal stories of all injustice on all levels, dimensions and scales in academia, in the USA -- btw when having watched it, there's no need to detail it's the same in Europe, Asia, wherever. That became implicity obvious. And that itself is reason to argue why this documentary is excellent.

Those interest in science, getting thins done in the field of academia better watch it before setting foot on any univiersity campus. Not because the academia universe is worse than other worldly universes, the arts for instance, or so. No. Coz the same applies to the arts. Probably, well, most likely, to sports too.

But in academia, one did assume for way too long neglecting strong evidence, it can't happen given most people assuemd in that field are bright, least intelligent to some extent.

But it's not about intelligence. And that's what the documentary tells w/out telling because all it does is : it describes. As a matter of fact, it just reports. W/out taking sides as if there really would be a choice even imagining such choice ..