Female Science Professor writes about how “micro-inequalities“: how small incidences of sexism don’t mean much themselves, but if you collectively take a look at them, it amounts to quite a lot of shit. She writes:
[A]ny one single minor incident could be interpreted in other (non-sexist) ways. It is important to realize, however, that many of these little incidents are examples of micro-inequities.
Micro-inequities are ways in which people are ignored, disrespected, undermined, or somehow treated in a different (negative) way because of their gender or race (or some other intrinsic characteristic).
[…] Whatever the source and however minor each separate event, over the years the cumulative effect of these little incidents, words, and gestures on an individual and on various segments of society (academia, business, even within families) is not so micro.
[…] It is certainly easier to label someone as oversensitive or too quick to see things through the notorious gender (or race) lenses in a mundane situation than to deal with the ambiguity of identifying a micro-inequity.
Earlier today, I was talking to a female colleague of mine about something that happened on Wednesday. I went to my wife’s office for Onam festival lunch. There we met someone who refused to believe that indeed I was the visiting spouse and my wife was an employee. I had to actually show my visitor’s batch before that realization dawned on them.
By itself, this is not sexism. But when I told this to my colleague, she had a little frown on her face and said “Niket, you wouldn’t believe how common this is.” And its equally common in IIT. Another colleague told me how mad another of his friends would get when every time she would meet the engineering unit people to get repairs done, those guys would ask her husband to sign the work-sheet (he couldn’t since he is not an IIT employee).
Another incident (a good one, this time!) happened last month. A waiter actually handed the bill to my wife. That was the first time this happened in several years of eating out. And that waiter received the most generous tip she has given anyone since we returned to India.
There are several instances of sexism. The above mentioned ones are not, in and of themselves, sexist. But as FSP beautifully puts it:
Over time, however, these incidents are a constant reminder that many people find it difficult to believe that women can or should be scientists and/or professors. They reinforce our sense of isolation, and together they send the strong message that women don’t get the same level of respect that men do, even when we are doing the same jobs.
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