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Be an Ally for Women in STEM!

February 10, 2017

Written by: Natalie Lim

We hear a lot of talk these days about being an "ally." It's been a popular term, especially on social media platforms, in an age where people are eager to show their support of various minority and racial groups. But what does it actually mean to be an ally, and how can allyship function in the world of STEM? Let's take a closer look.

According to PeerNetBC, allyship begins when "a person of privilege seeks to support a marginalized individual or group." Author Anne Bishop further defines allies as "people who recognize the unearned privilege they receive from society's patterns of injustice and take responsibility for changing those patterns." For example, allies could include white people fighting against racism, men fighting against sexism, and heterosexual people fighting against homophobia. However, it's important to note that allyship is not an identity. Rather, it is a practice with a particular set of roles - for example, consciously shining a spotlight on the voices of those who are continuously marginalized and silenced, actively acknowledging and openly discussing personal privilege, and acting out of responsibility rather than guilt. 

Allyship looks like white women in STEM advocating on behalf of racial minorities in STEM, just as much as it looks like men in STEM advocating on behalf of women in STEM. And it's one of the biggest ways to make a difference in whichever communities you may be a part of. Oppressed groups should not be expected to fight for equality on their own, and we should be standing up and supporting them - not out of guilt or shame, but out of a recognition that diversity is strength, and leads to more innovation, creativity, and resourcefulness within STEM fields.

Practical Tips on Being an Ally 

  • Listen more, speak less, and believe. Reach out to marginalized groups and listen to their stories so that you can better understand the struggle they face. Often, those struggles consist of issues or situations you might not have considered before - and when these groups choose to share their stories, something as simple as telling them that you believe them can be a radical show of support.
  • Do your research. If you're going to speak out on a topic, make sure that you know what you're talking about, and make sure that what you're saying is in line with the goals and values of the community in question. 
  • Don't be afraid to make waves. As Professor Jonathan Eisen notes, we can't solve problems without talking about them. If you're attending a conference where 90% of the panelists are men, ask why. If you're helping to organize a conference and childcare isn't offered as an option, ask why. Having these important conversations and openly challenging oppressive structures may be messy and uncomfortable, but it is integral to creating change. 
  • Keep an eye out for unconscious bias and microaggressions. Unconscious bias describes the set of assumptions that underline our everyday lives, which can sometimes be harmful (such as automatically assuming someone's sexuality based on appearance or personality); microaggressions are subtle exchanges that communicate hostility to individuals based on their identity (such as a woman being called "pushy" or "bossy" when she tries to assert herself). Our chair, Dr. Lesley Shannon, recently published an article on the gendered language that job advertisements in computer science fields can contain - another example of unconscious bias. You can read the full article here
 
If you're reading this, we hope that you will commit (or re-commit!) to allyship, to looking after and watching out for those around you, no matter who they might be. If you're looking for more info on being an ally, here's a couple more resources for you to check out:
Do you have a story to share about being an ally, or being affected by one? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter! You can also learn more about the struggles that women (and women of colour in particular) often face in STEM by checking out our blog post on the four gender biases.