Writer Starts A Viral Twitter Thread After Making Fun Of Historical “Discoveries” That Were Cracked Once Women Were Finally Allowed To Look At Them
It’s no secret that some disciplines are largely male-dominated. Take history and anthropology as examples and you see how enormous the gap of a male-oriented approach is, where little voice, if any, is given to women.
Recently, the ‘Rings Of Power’ writer Gennifer Hutchison pointed out this issue in a Twitter thread that went viral. “My favorite historical ‘discoveries’ are ones male anthropologists/historians just *can’t* figure out for YEARS that are swiftly answered by a woman when one is finally given access,” she wrote in a tweet three days ago.
The thread seems to have hit a soft spot in many people and an illuminating debate followed. “If everyone is looking at something from the same angle, we miss the full picture,” Hutchison concluded by pointing out the fact that science doesn’t give equal access to women’s opinion and representation, although it could largely benefit from it. Read on for the full thread below.
Writer Gennifer Hutchinson called out male scientists for not giving access to women who could swiftly explain the historical mysteries they can’t figure out
Image credits: GennHutchison
Image credits: GennHutchison
Image credits: GennHutchison
Image credits: GennHutchison
Image credits: GennHutchison
To find out more about why women are given so little access and voice in male-dominated professions, we spoke with Dr. Audrey Tang, an award-winning business author and broadcaster, as well as a leadership trainer and coach. Dr. Tang argues that in our society, the starting point for men and women are years apart.
“One solution to the meritocracy was suggested in an article which stated ‘Have universities offer places based on a lottery or ballot’… of course the solution was tongue in cheek,” Dr. Tang explained.
She added that “if you felt a twinge of ‘that’s not fair,’ that is exactly how unfair the meritocracy system can be to some.” Instead of claiming that women don’t work hard enough to have their voices heard, we’d better ask if women have had exactly the same opportunities to do so in the first place.
“It is certainly a start that we can begin to challenge our own biases and certainly pay men and women the same in the same job, BUT we could also start valuing what women and diversity, in general, brings to a boardroom table,” Dr. Tang explained.
Many people sided with the author of the thread, and shared their own insights into the issue
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Archaeological geneticists are trying to sequence ancient DNA from the dirt of cave floors to see which kinds of human ancestors may have lived there. This is without bone fragments; they figure DNA could be left in the dirt in amounts high enough to detect if people bled where they lived. They’ve been tying themselves in knots trying to explain how there could be blood on the cave floors - maybe a guy would occasionally cut himself sharpening a knife?? OR, and I’m just spitballing here, women menstruate and give birth; bleeding is not a rare event at all for women.
You know, that last part always gets me. There's this idea that women are weak and squeamish and that it's men who are emotionally "strong enough" who can deal with sights like lots of blood, and, like... women don't even need to do something dangerous to bleed profusely? I deal with blood every month, it's just everyday life for me...
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Thousand of years have been lived and women still experiencing it everyday. When will we learn
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I read another good example a few years ago. Archaeologists were excavating an ancient dwelling in Peru (or maybe Argentina?) and were puzzling the ritual significance of a raised earthen ring near the hearth, really flexing all the PhD derived ego, only for a local laborer to inform them it was a Guinea Pig corral.
Archaeological geneticists are trying to sequence ancient DNA from the dirt of cave floors to see which kinds of human ancestors may have lived there. This is without bone fragments; they figure DNA could be left in the dirt in amounts high enough to detect if people bled where they lived. They’ve been tying themselves in knots trying to explain how there could be blood on the cave floors - maybe a guy would occasionally cut himself sharpening a knife?? OR, and I’m just spitballing here, women menstruate and give birth; bleeding is not a rare event at all for women.
You know, that last part always gets me. There's this idea that women are weak and squeamish and that it's men who are emotionally "strong enough" who can deal with sights like lots of blood, and, like... women don't even need to do something dangerous to bleed profusely? I deal with blood every month, it's just everyday life for me...
Load More Replies... Thousand of years have been lived and women still experiencing it everyday. When will we learn
Load More Replies... I read another good example a few years ago. Archaeologists were excavating an ancient dwelling in Peru (or maybe Argentina?) and were puzzling the ritual significance of a raised earthen ring near the hearth, really flexing all the PhD derived ego, only for a local laborer to inform them it was a Guinea Pig corral.
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