I repeat: until there’s a vaccine or other definitive solution, we’re in an emergency that lands very differently on different people. If you *choose* to do a conference, CFP, job search during the next 2 years, you’d better be keeping a sharp eye on your pool’s demographics.

At this point? If you’ve got a manel or other all-male (or all-tenured, all-White) panel, issue, or candidate pool, it’s for damn sure a failure on your part, and absolutely not a question of who has “merit.”

The challenges aren’t going away this summer. They’re gonna be with us in the fall. Likely spring & beyond. Even After we’ll be digging out for years: from lingering trauma, hits to physical health, possible increased travel costs, shattering of job markets, the whole nine yards.

I’m one of the lucky ones, & even I look in despair at those “I only know how to cope with life by grinding at work” dudes, who are somehow willing/able (via partners or low solo living standards) to just benumb themselves to pain & physical/emotional needs of those around them.