I acknowledge that as a female who looks like a teenager and works in a STEM Science/Technology/Engineering/Mathematics) position, I can expect to come across a degree of sexist behaviour in my career. However, acknowledgement and acceptance are two very different things and it doesn't make it less jarring when it happens!
And it happened this week when I was invited to meet a collaborator to learn how to use their instrument, which is used to automate some experimental steps. When I asked if it was possible to use the attached computer while the system was being run, the collaborator unbelievably replied to my question with, "A computer is not a toy".
THE FUCK IS THAT?!?!?!
Luckily while conversing with my boss later about the device, he said he had also noted that that specific collaborator seems to be the type to dismiss women in research. While I'm glad he mentioned it without me having to say anything, it definitely makes me not want to use that instrument and to look for better collaborators!
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