What resistance does science find to be equitable? 

To commemorate this year’s International Day of Women and Girls in Science, CREAF launches a campaign to raise awareness about the resistances that research centers still encounter in achieving gender equity. This year, we want to emphasize the need to recognize and understand what these resistances are that prevent us from making progress, so that we can combat and overcome them. 

"In academia, a masculinized culture still prevails. This is not only seen in the underrepresentation of women but it is also evident in many other areas as the way we talk about scientific research, in the power structures and communication stylesor in the predominantly internal culture".

TERESA ROSAS, Talent and Gender officer.

And why have we decided to focus on this theme on February 11th? Because the reality is that in academia, a masculinized culture still prevails. "This is not only seen in the underrepresentation of women - especially in higher positions - but it is also evident in many other areas. For example, in the way we talk about scientific research, in the power structures and communication styles that operate within it, or in the predominantly internal culture influenced by the dominant social position of men," explains our Talent and Gender officer, Teresa Rosas.

The core of this campaign is a video production, in which we also want to emphasize that resistances are inherent in contemporary society. "We are scared of any cultural change that challenges the norms, practices, and assumptions that have worked for so many years. In fact, many times we don't resist change itself, but the unknown or the possibility of losing status and privileges," according to Rosas. For this reason, it is important to address the underlying fears and insecurities about change, to minimize barriers and move towards a more inclusive research culture. Our way of shedding light on this elephant in the room has been to choose objects that symbolize 7 specific resistances and crush them with a hydraulic press. 

"The resulting video aims to be a small conceptual that shows us and makes us feel, at least visually, that these resistances are finally being broken. We don't want to create content per se, but to stimulate internal debate".

NORA SOLER, designer from the CREAF Communication Team.

You can judge yourselves  😊