

Revolutionary Act- By Angelica Vega
Revolutionary Act
By Angelina Vega
Never cited, never seen
Silenced and hidden
To believe studying science for a woman was the equivalent of the American dream
Not part of the conversation, dare she speak a single word
The old hierarchy was built by men and that didn’t include her
Threatened by the thoughts that oppose them
because a woman could never understand
The complexities that come from fields like
Psychology, Biology, Zoology, and Anthropology (Tang-Martínez, 2019) to name a few
Yet she sheds a new perspective on research, writing and behaviors
Evolving science from what they think they knew, to endless possibilities.
Never cited, never seen
Silenced and hidden
Yet they speak, inspiring through knowledge and passion
Margaret Floy Washburn, first American female to receive a Ph.D in Psychology in 1894
Ethal Tobach, 1921 behavioral ontogeny
Lee Ehrman, 1935 behavior genetics (Tang-Martínez, 2019)
Can you believe they tried to stop Margret Harlow from achieving her dreams?
They are the pioneers, the reason we have the opportunity for a higher education in the field
If I never utter another word, let me stop and say, thank you
I wouldn’t be where I am today without you.
Never cited, never seen
Silenced and hidden
Women today still struggle to be heard, to be recognized, to be published (Reiber, 2015)
Every thought is shoving a “feminist” agenda down the throats of the people that oppress us
So we scream, loud and proud against the noise that holds gender roles as guides (Stout, Grunberg & Ito, 2016)
Can we try a different perspective?
Because I’m getting tired of the narrative
That women bring nothing more to the table
But babies and breakfast
Why don’t you read about how sexual selection, mating behaviors and kinship affect you
Thank you, Cathleen R. Cox, Like Sarah Hrdy and Gail Michener too (Tang-Martínez, 2019)
Can we get this talked about in units 4, 6 and 9?
Classrooms should be filled with role-reversals, diversity, and teachings of erasure
It’s our revolutionary act
To take a stand, for the women who were silenced
By the foot of a man
To pave the way
We must join hands
Because if you even saw a glimpse of what women in science have to offer
You’d be shaking their hand
The most revolutionary act is elevating her.
References
Tang-Martínez, Z. (2019). The history and impact of women in animal behaviour and the ABS: a North American perspective. Animal Behaviour, 164, 251–260. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.12.011
Reiber, C. (2015) Moving Toward Gender Equity in the Evolutionary Behavioral and Other Sciences: The Need for Open Discussion Around the Everyday Challenges Faced by Women. Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences, 9(2), 81–85. https://doi.org/10.1037/ebs0000042
Stout, J. G., Grunberg, V. A., & Ito, T. A. (2016). Gender Roles and Stereotypes about Science Careers Help Explain Women and Men’s Science Pursuits. Sex Roles, 75(9-10), 490–499. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-016-0647-5
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