Do you see the similarity between these statements?

Question

"There can't be any discrimination against women in STEM fields, there are female scientists and engineers"

"I can't be racist, I have a black friend."

And what, if anything, do you think the significance of that similarity is?

Answer 1

Both statements reveal an ignorance of prejudice and power dynamics that are at play, keeping women out of STEMs and affecting the lives of people of colour.



I have friends who are not white. I don't pretend that it makes me immune to racism. I know there are times that I may have an easier time because of my skin colour; people don't usually assume I can't communicate in the official language of my country, whereas my friends who are not white regularly have people yelling slowly at them (as if that would help in a situation where there was indeed a language barrier). I try to be mindful of issues like that, and when a friend tells me of an issue they face, that I have never experienced - I listen because I don't pretend to know their lives better than they do.



Those who exclaim that they are "not racist/sexist because I know a poc/woman!" are just cowards. They don't want to stop and think. And they certainly don't want to defer to a person who they consider inferior, when that person truly knows something that the racist/sexist does not. Never acknowledging ones prejudices is easier than actively trying to make the world a nicer place.

Answer 2

I haven't heard that statement, but you're right, it's a bad argument. But have you ever heard a man make a well-reasoned, logical statement about anything?



Most commonly, I hear that if more women were cut out for STEM fields, they would be in them. Yet, across the board, my female friends working in the stem fields say they are, at some point, and to varying extents, made aware that they are not welcome. So if a woman is completely qualified to do a job, has the knowledge and intelligence to do it well, but decides that she doesn't want to work environment where she is treated as an inferior for no reason, then men take this as evidence that women are stupid.

Answer 3

Women in STEM is arguably proof that at least some women can do STEM. It's not even particularly good proof of that. Saying it proves anything more than that is to try to use anecdotal data to prove a statistical argument.



The "black friend" argument is not only that, but worse: It is most commonly heard by people who are willing to make an exception for instances of the demographic I know. "All Foos suck except Murray, he's OK".



Of course, after awhile, if you keep making exceptions, you begin to wonder if your rule has problems. If it turns out that not only is one of your gay friends not a homocidal maniac, but you've actually met lots of gay people and none of them were homocidal maniacs, then maybe, just maybe, not all gays are homocidal maniacs.



So, although "I have a black friend" doesn't mean someone isn't racist, it DOES mean they are probably capable of seeing the light given enough exposure to real black families, etc.



The problem comes when you hit actual differences between, say, races. Blacks are more likely to have sickle cell anemia than whites. That is statistically inarguable, so saying it isn't racist. Whites are more likely to get sun burn. Again, statistically inarguable.



We have gotten to the point, however, where ANY noticed difference causes some people to become downright militant.



Doctors need to know the statistical differences between the races (and genders, and yes, even occasionally creeds). This isn't to say that doctors are never racist, sexist or credist, but to say that differences don't exist becomes a health liability.

Answer 4

I seriously don't get it. If someone has a black friend then she cannot be a racist. Otherwise she wouldn't even talk with that person. (Of course it's possible that she lied in order to win the argument, but we assume that it's the truth, right?) And there is seriously no discrimination because the opportunity is present for women to become scientists and engineers. Sure, there are only a very few of them. But that's because of the gender roles they were raised in, and not because a law prevents them to be what they want.



But go ahead, enlighten us, barbarians you feminist miracle! Redeem our soul of ignorance!

Answer 5

I disagree with both. To take it a step further I disagree that someone who is black can't be racist or a women can't be sexist. Anyone can be sexist or racist.



Women in STEMSs is not proof there is no discrimination. Discrimination or lack there of is the proof. Many companies under pressure to hire more women are now discriminating in favor of women when hiring STEM candidates.