This has been bugging me for awhile and I've been reluctant to share, but after this weekend it seems relevant. It's about assumptions and sci-comm so you've been warned. And it starts with a personal story. /1

When I first got to Yale, I was expecting to be teased for my accent. I was born and raised in Kentucky and I knew I sounded like it. What I wasn't expecting, was for people to assume that because of my accent I was a) stupid and b) a racist. Maybe I was naïve. /2

It irked me and I tried to just show that I wasn't those things, but it would come up in lots of little ways that felt incredibly patronizing and insulting. However it was just as patronizing and insulting when people acted shocked or elated that I wasn't stupid or racist. /3

There is a quote from Samuel Johnson that goes, "Sir, a woman's preaching is like a dog's walking on his hind legs. It is not done well; but you are surprised to find it done at all.” If you are like me, you may have cringed when you first heard this. /4

But it reminded me of people being amused I wasn't stupid. And I cringed, a lot, when #scitwitter started acting like it was just adorable and incredible that a famous rap star might possibly be interested in science. And if it was their science, even better! /5

Why were people so surprised that a grown man who served in the Navy, is ordained as a preacher, reads widely, and consults for tech companies might enjoy science and even read papers? It felt patronizing to me. There are smart people out there that aren't "scientists". /6

However - we all see the world from our own vantage point, and my reaction was most likely because of my own experiences. I'm not trying to fight anyone else's battles here. I'm just sharing how I felt about it. So how does this related to Sci-comm? /7

I participated in @TheOpEdProject seminar and someone there related that when you write an OpEd, you aren't trying to change the minds of people who disagree with you. You are trying to sway the person who is close to agreeing with you, but needs more information. /8

Some vehemently anti-vax isn't going to listen to you tell them about the benefit of vaccines or how Wakefield conned everyone. But a new mom hearing conflicting advice might need to hear someone tell her, respectfully, why it's conflicting and where the facts are. /9

So here we have an influential person, ordained as a minister, that wants to experience science melded with his faith and the sci community went full on - "we are smart and know it all and you are wrong" full throttle. /9

Scientists are less likely to believe in God or be religious than the general population. For example see - https://www.pewforum.org/2009/11/05/scientists-and-belief/ /10

Other studies find scientists to be more spiritual than faith-based. But the fact is when you communicate science to non-scientists, you have to keep in mind that they may have an important religious or spiritual life that is important to them. /11

Asking them to ignore it because "SCIENCE" is going to do nothing but cause cognitive dissonance. This is one of those places in life where you can hold both - you can be spiritual/religious/faith based and you can be believe in science. /12

You can believe in God and still support teaching evolution in school. And if you want to communicate to people outside of academia, you have to remember that this duality isn't a problem for a lot of people. /13

But alienating people, be it because you assume something based on their accent, how they look, the faith they rely on, their political party, etc makes it difficult to discuss things or educate or move someone a little closer to truth. /14

True communication, science or otherwise, demands you be in relationship with the person or people you are talking to. And you can't be in this space with someone if you hold some amount of disdain about them. Be it your students, your family, your twitter community, etc. /15

You have to have respect for the people you want to educate, or they really have no reason to give you their time and attention. /16x