Intelligent Scientist (Was re: cool atheist scientist chick)

From: Natasha Vita-More (natasha@natasha.cc)
Date: Sat Apr 28 2001 - 10:16:25 MDT


I had been holding off on responding to this thread. Firstly, I was in
shear amazement that who ever posted it would use such a subject line.
Secondly, I am not surprised that a woman is an atheist, a scientist and
intelligent at the same time.

Why are we still gender-defining people and why is a woman a chick? Why
hold up a person who is performing a job - acting in a fictional story - as
an exemplar example of a woman or scientist? Why not look within the
actual community of women, scientists or atheists to applaud rather than an
actor playing a part?

I felt the same way reading this thread as I did after I posted on "Science
of Beauty" program on TV and my announcement became a venue for some to
mock beauty and style. Never mind acknowledging and appreciating the fact
that the aesthetics of technologies is essential to its future.

Unless and until people on this list value people who contribute to society
and stop labeling them for a shock factor, we cannot progress beyond the
stigmas of gender and ethnicity.

Natasha

 

At 08:57 AM 4/28/01 +0100, Amara wrote:
>
>By the way, I do suggest in the future to find a more intelligent
>Subject line. Something like "Great Contact movie scientist character"
>would perhaps be more encouraging to any women scientists here.
>
>As a woman scientist/teacher/programmer/writer, who has been working
>professionally in Astronomy the last 20 years, this subject line
>makes me feel like someone dropped me into high school.
>
>I expect that any professional male scientists who see a subject
>line such as: "mondo atheist scientist dude" would be similarly discouraged.
>
>Amara
>
>
>
>********************************************************************
>Amara Graps email: amara@amara.com
>Computational Physics vita: finger agraps@shell5.ba.best.com
>Multiplex Answers URL: http://www.amara.com/
>********************************************************************
>"Whenever I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the
>future of the human race." -- H. G. Wells
>
>
>
>



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