[ASA] The ASA supports members who speak up for a gender inclusive science community

[Andrew Hopkins]

Microsoft Word - ASA_Equity_Statement.docx

The ASA supports members who speak up for a gender inclusive science community

At a recent European Space Agency media conference, a scientist wore a shirt with sexualised imagery of women, and used an analogy with sexual references. Scientists and science journalists (both women and men) made the fair and reasonable criticism that this was inappropriate for an official media conference and scientific workplace. The relevant scientist has since apologised.

Subsequently, a number of media articles about this incident have been critical of feminism, and the scientists (particularly women) who criticised the sexual imagery and references have been abused through social media. The media criticism is unwarranted and the abuse is reprehensible.

The Astronomical Society of Australia is strongly committed to making all of its members feel accepted within the scientific community, and to remove the historical legacy of sexism within science. Displays of sexual imagery and use of sexual references are at odds with this goal, and hence unacceptable. We fully support the members of our community who made fair and reasonable criticisms of inappropriate images and comments.

The Astronomical Society of Australia will continue to strive for an equitable and diverse scientific community.

The Council of the Astronomical Society of Australia

President of the Astronomical Society of Australia
Associate Professor Andrew Hopkins
Australian Astronomical Observatory
andrew.hopkins at aao.gov.au
+61 2 9372 4849

Media Contact
Dr Michael Brown
Monash University
Michael.Brown at monash.edu
+61 3 9905 4498

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.sydney.edu.au/pipermail/asa/attachments/20141118/9649b86a/attachment-0003.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: ASA_Equity_Statement.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 98996 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.sydney.edu.au/pipermail/asa/attachments/20141118/9649b86a/attachment-0003.pdf>