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For those of you that read Sheril Kirshenbaum’s “Under The Microscope: Feminism, Scientists and Sexiness,” and Alexandra Jellicoe’s response “Is Science Sexist?,” here’s a response to the response.
If there is one lesson from SexyGate (the kerfuffle following Sheril Kirshenbaum’s inclusion on a “sexy scientist” list[1]), it is that actions have consequences, long-range, important, and potentially ironic consequences, for which you shall be held responsible. Consequences like drawing the attention of the hedonistic proletariat to the “sexy scientist” list and giving many the excuse to consider the potentially related[2] question: “Is science sexist?”
The post discusses the age-old debate about whether there is a rational, masculine way of thinking, and an intuitive, feminine way of thinking, and if so, is the latter inherently incompatible with science?
I have found in my years of hanging around skeptics that there are some traits we all seem to have in common. Besides incredible critical thinking skills, and dare I say superior looks, all skeptics seem to have a curiosity about the world around them and a thirst for knowledge. Much like the character “Sara” in “A Little Princess” we tend to “devour” books rather than just read them. I think as part of this curiosity and need to “learn” most skeptics enjoy traveling. We don’t always enjoy new foods, new languages, new people and new sights to see, but for the most part we consider the good and the bad as part of the travel learning process.
I enjoy traveling as much as any skeptic. Much like the writer David Sedaris has written, there is a certain thrill in being thrown into an environment where you are not comfortable. Not knowing a language and culture can raise the heart rate and means that even something as simple as finding milk is an adventure. When my family lived in Brussels for several years I brought home coffee creamer, heavy creme, and even some sort of odd runny cheese in my effort to supply milk to my children for their breakfast cereal. Anything with the word “lait” on it I bought. Finally an English speaking neighbor pointed out to me that the milk was not refrigerated in most city grocery stores as it was irradiated. It never occurred to me to look on a regular shelf for milk. The children seemed to like the irradiated milk well enough and they only glow a little at night these days.
While I live in the US now I still grab any chance to travel. Sometimes it’s to see a good skeptic friend. Sometimes it’s a chance to go to Europe with my husband on business. I am lucky enough that once a year the frequent flyer miles are enough that I can pop along with him on a trip. My life is hectic enough that spending the days alone wandering around various parts of Europe with my camera is one of the highlights of my year. Since we are traveling on “OPM” (other peoples money) I spend a lot of time walking and eating cheaply from bakeries. One thing I really enjoy is looking for various local or cultural “woo”. Continue reading Kitty’s Wide, Wide World of Woo: Paris, Part One
I recently attended the keynote lecture given by Dr. Linda Williams at the Pornography: At the Limit conference at the University at Buffalo. Williams elucidated several important things that we should consider when thinking about porn, which is a subject that provokes strong reactions categorizing it as everything from depraved filth to the ultimate expression of freedom. As critical thinkers, we certainly may hold these personal opinions of porn, but they do little to enhance our understanding of the medium.
A recent article profiling activist Gail Dines in The Guardian highlights how a personal opinion, in this case the premise that porn is destructive to women, can influence research. In a classic lapse of critical thinking, she formed a conclusion before any research took place and therefore found plenty of evidence to support her claim. Since Dines began her quest with the premise that porn is destructive and leads to violence against women, all further research has verified this hypothesis. If we start our investigation with the notion that porn is empowering for women, we can confirm that assertion as well by examining the work of feminist pornographers such as Tristan Taormino and Shine Louise Houston, among many others. To hold either position prematurely is not good research, good critical thinking or good skepticism. Continue reading Thinking Critically About Porn
Author Naomi Baker - Chemical Engineer. Photo by Scott Hurst.
In my graduation class of around 50 chemical engineers, there were three women. Dawn’s father was a senior VP with the Belgium office of an international chemical company, so she had grown up exposed to industry and to engineering. The other woman, whose name I’ve forgotten, was a so-so student engaged to a classmate. It was so widely known that he did most of her homework and projects that the department head made them take their final year of classes in opposite semesters.
Twenty-nine years later, a good friend’s daughter is about to graduate from the same university. She is one of three women in her graduating class of mechanical engineers.
The president of the international Society for Petroleum Engineers, Behrooz Fattahi, addressed this issue in his May 2010 column in the Journal of Petroleum Technology, “Discover Who You Are”, which I recommend. Although women surpass men in the numbers employed in the workforce in both the U.S. and Canada, they represent only 17.5% of those employed in the U.S. oil and gas industry. Since that is my field, I can attest that most of those women are employed in clerical and accounting positions. This is a shame, because this particular industry has historically paid some of the highest salaries to engineers and geologists, both for new hires and throughout the range of employment in terms of experiences and job descriptions. I want women to get those salaries, and to have stimulating and important work. I’m still enough of a rarity in the field that, only last week, a contractor remembered meeting me once before, about 20 years ago. That’s how rare we still are. Continue reading Engineering Equality
Ben Radford, Author Jenna Marie Griffith, Laurie and Rob Tarr
My time at Camp Inquiry is over, at least for this year. It was an inspiring experience for the campers, counselors and staff. This is a place where kids are encouraged to think about everything — from the mechanics of conjuring to the movements
Unfortunately I can’t take credit for the title, a friend came up with it (Hi Coran!). We were discussing what to call ourselves, the (mostly) atheist, vehemently pro-vax and anti-woo parents who were also extended breastfeeding, baby-wearing, co-sleeping, cloth nappying, hippy parents. One of us even home birthed (not me, I like my stay
After a long day of working as a slave/intern at a prestigious university on the other side of the country, I came home to my summer sublet, plopped down on my rented bed and called my mother. The usual small-talk ensued, recounting my long day of data
Like many summer camp experiences, Camp Inquiry has plenty of ghosts and related spookiness to go around. In the remote woods of Western New York, there are seances, stories, shifty things in the shadows and bumps in the night aplenty. Unlike the typical scout or religious camp, this CFI venture teaches kids how
Camp Inquiry Director Angie McQuaig and Chupacabra Slayer Ben Radford
I arrived at Camp Inquiry yesterday evening and immediately realized this was not my mother’s Girl Scout camp. This experience, led by CFI board member Dr. Angie McQuaig, takes its mission as follows:
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