Today I
read an article1 about supporting young mothers
working in science, by letting them bringing their babies and kids to scientific
conferences. While this idea very
superfluously seems to support mothers in science; it can only strengthen an
already marked sexism debilitating women in their field of work.
Part of "Father
and son"- Story of the Ilustrator. Erich Ohsers (E.O. Plauen) 2
And here I
explain why.
As a father
working in science, married to a scientist, and both attending regularly to scientific
conferences; I would personally not have a problem seeing mothers
breast-feeding their babies or kids running through poster (but not Conference)
sessions. However, I doubt that any parent would be fully able to concentrate
on networking, giving a presentation or trying to get the most of such a
meeting while the own child needs to be fed or simply needs some attention.
It will almost
certainly be boring enough for any child, as for the most of the adult
population, to hear for hours how protein “X” interact with peptide “Y” and
what the p value was for that control group that no one really understands.
The whole idea
seems to support mothers, but what it indeed does is to openly support sexism by
assuming that mothers alone should take care of their children, even at work;
leaving fathers behind or undisturbed at their workplaces.
The easiest
solutions to consider are:
1. Fathers
to take responsibility of their children specially while mamas have to work and
no other childcare option is available.
2. Although
difficult to conciliate in all countries, easier childcare options at the
working place, and conferences in this case, calls for an intrinsic change of
national policies in some countries that should favor mothers (and families)
working not only in science but in any other job.
An insider
tip, there are countries that support paid maternal/paternal leave and grant
easy childcare options.
References:
1. Nature 555,
551 (2018)
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