A final thing I want to add on the subject of fieldwork is on the subject of travelling as a minority. Specifically, I want to talk about fieldwork for LGBTQ+ folks working in places where they are less accepted or may even be actively persecuted
It's not an easy thing to exist in an environment where people like you are casually mentioned as being disgusting. Working in Malaysia, it was always in the back of my mind that my very existence was illegal and had a maximum penalty of 20yrs in prison (although rarely enforced)
It meant that for six months I was very cautious about who I came out to and in what environments. For the most part, I don't think anyone I actually worked with would have cared anyway but I couldn't know for certain...
Once at a party in the forest, a local research assistant told me (in reference to a song by Queen):
"He's gay but it's ok because I like his music"
I didn't know what to say. I settled on being silently horrified at requiring Freddie Mercury levels of talent to gain acceptance
"He's gay but it's ok because I like his music"
I didn't know what to say. I settled on being silently horrified at requiring Freddie Mercury levels of talent to gain acceptance
I guess that being the worst thing that happened was a bit of a blessing. People are fundamentally welcoming and kind but statements like that can catch you off guard.
I am usually read as a straight cis man because people tend to assume straight and cis unless you clearly signal otherwise. In the UK, I rarely bother to correct people because it's none of their business. In Malaysia, I felt trapped by not feeling safe to correct people.
I want to always feel safe & comfortable in being open with my identity, wherever my career takes me
One night, I was chatting with some other scientists on site and we discovered that actually several of us were LGBTQ+ and knowing I wasn't alone in my experience helped a lot!
One night, I was chatting with some other scientists on site and we discovered that actually several of us were LGBTQ+ and knowing I wasn't alone in my experience helped a lot!
For those people questioning why I'm trying to promote #LGBTQscience this week and why we need to be open with our identities: THIS is why!
When being ourselves in research puts us at risk and harms our mental health, seeing we are not alone can help us to carry on and succeed
When being ourselves in research puts us at risk and harms our mental health, seeing we are not alone can help us to carry on and succeed
If you are part of the LGBTQ+ community working in STEM, please consider adding you bio to the #LGBTQScience hashtag.
If you are anybody at all, please go to the tag and follow some people who do things you are interested in. Maybe give them a retweet too.
Thank you 🏳️🌈
If you are anybody at all, please go to the tag and follow some people who do things you are interested in. Maybe give them a retweet too.
Thank you 🏳️🌈
