1/ Just finished up an R&R (2 more to go, then I can take a breather). This one is the first time I've co-authored with a man. It went well. We worked together on equal terms. Frankly, I've always been hesitant to co-author with men. That may sound like "bias" but let me explain.
2/ Honestly, I've often felt as if men don't listen to me as well, don't take me as seriously & aren't as interested in engaging me. Not ALL men. I'm not painting w/ that broad a brush. I've met plenty of men who are great interlocutors but I'm talking about general patterns.
3/ I have 3 older brothers and I grew up in a household where gender inequality was accepted as the norm. As an adult, I will not play that. So I have a low tolerance for skewed gender dynamics. I worried that this would make co-authoring with a man more difficult & more work.
4/ I never passed up an opportunity to co-author with a man but I did have reservations. Nonetheless, when the chance arose & it made a lot of sense, I decided to set those reservations aside & go for it. It helped that my my co-author made it clear that he took me seriously.
5/ Now that we're pretty much through the process and I can reflect a bit, it was really enjoyable. We had different strengths & used them to make the paper stronger all round. We both listened well. I never felt like the power dynamics were off. It's what you want in a coauthor.
6/ I am generally cautious with co-authorship. I know myself & there are some people I just won't work well with (& vice versa). Still, this experience has made me less hesitant abt co-authoring with men. Especially since I now have a sense of the signals that bode well.
