On why it isn't acceptable to ask disabled trainees in wet labs if they'd considered switching labs to do computational work, and why it REALLY isn't ok to ask us if we'd considered ditching STEM for equity and access work (a thread). ***PLZ RT.***

First of all-yes, we've thought about it. Second of all, and I'm gonna borrow a phrase from @maysoonzayid here, but in order to understand why this is bad, I'd like you to come on a journey with me.

Your BFF, a female physicist (PhD), begins to tell you about sexism in physics. The statistics are clear, and it's real. Do you tell her to switch fields when she tells you about the inappropriate comments? The microaggressions? No.

You also don't look at her and say, "Have you considered leaving the scientific field you're trained in in order to fight for equality for womxn (NB folks, too) in physics?". Of course not. Why? It's a ludicrous suggestion. This is perpetuating

the same sexism that she's telling you is so problematic. and you readily accept that her leaving her field is not the appropriate solution. Nor would you tell any other minority group that the solution to homophobia, or racism, or whatever, is just to quit. Do something else.

You CERTAINLY don't tell them to quit their jobs to do the work to fix someone's bigotry. Do not come in my mentions and lie to me and say you would. No. You're lying to yourself.

This highlights yet another embarrassing double-standard disabled trainees face. It is considered

ok to say this to disabled trainees, and not ok to do to anyone else. We aren't even allowed to fight for equality without double standards.

Think about what you're asking before you ask it, please. This IS ableism. #AcademicTwitter #AcademicChatter #ScienceTwitter #SciTwitter

#Academia #Research #HigherEd #STEM #STEMEd #HigherEducation #GradSchool #Science #GradSchool #Physiology #Biology #Lab #MedTwitter