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To: rbg81

I have worked in STEM for 30 years. This culture she talks of does not exist.


5 posted on 04/07/2015 5:48:06 AM PDT by outpostinmass2
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To: outpostinmass2
Ditto. I'm coming up on 35 years and I'm calling BS on this. She is absolutely making those numbers up. I have worked in government in engineering (DoD), and in the private sector in companies both big and small. The kinds of things she is talking about simply do not happen.

The stereotype for scientists, engineers, and techie types is that we're shy, introverted, socially awkward. Guess what, it became a stereotype because there is such a large element of truth to it. Will we talk and joke with each other? Sure, plenty, and as my non-techie friends/family have let me know, most other people don't get our jokes. But when it comes to "real world" interactions, especially with the opposite sex, we revert to type. It is a stereotype and I own it. I have consciously worked to overcome it, but I see it in my friends and coworkers every single day.

This group of people, with these demographics and characteristics are just not the kinds of people who act out, who are that forward or forceful with the opposite sex. This 26% number, one quarter, really? Run the numbers people. Given the number of people in the various STEM fields if this were really happening the courts would be overflowing and every tech company would be continually in court or dealing with cases.

Personally, in 35 years, with 15+ in leadership positions I have had to deal with a "sexual harassment" issue exactly one time. Once. That wasn't even an intentional harassment. A male subordinate of mine spoke to a female coworker a little too frankly and openly about her pregnancy. He wasn't getting off on it, he had no idea he was making her uncomfortable. If anyone is familiar with the Sheldon character on "Big Bang Theory" that was just about exactly what this was. That was it, in 35 years, with hundreds of male and female coworkers. If the 26% number was anywhere close to realistic I'd have had to deal with a dozen or more issues.

18 posted on 04/07/2015 6:03:44 AM PDT by ThunderSleeps (Stop obarma now! Stop the hussein - insane agenda!)
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To: outpostinmass2
I have worked in STEM for 30 years.

That means you remember a time before the inane acronym "STEM" was invented ...

49 posted on 04/07/2015 12:32:17 PM PDT by NorthMountain ("The time has come", the Walrus said, "to talk of many things")
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To: outpostinmass2
I have worked in STEM for 30 years. This culture she talks of does not exist.

It does not matter. This is the assault on American greatness. Time to attack STEM.

56 posted on 04/07/2015 6:51:50 PM PDT by Lazamataz (The FCC takeover of the internet will quickly become a means to censorship of dissent.)
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To: outpostinmass2
I have worked in STEM for 30 years. This culture she talks of does not exist.

I have worked in STEM for not quite that long. It does exist.

The guys running the lab do, in fact, grab you in the elevator. Just once. With the right response they do not do it a second time.

I have a friend who was asked to drop off her dissertation at her first reader's house. She did. In the reflection of the sliding glass door she saw him coming at her stark naked. Fast forward 10 years, she headed the committee from DC coming to review his laboratory.

58 posted on 04/07/2015 6:59:39 PM PDT by ladyjane
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