**Maggie** @Maenad · 12 oct. 2017, 01:53

**Maggie** @Maenad · 12 oct. 2017, 01:53

Maggie @Maenad

12 oct. 2017, 01:53

musings on academia, gender and sexuality Afficher plus

Honestly, most of my initial heroes in academia were men. A lot of them still are, much as my current role models are mostly women.

The thing about historical male academics is they generally fall into a specific pattern: short weeks with a lot of time for drinks with the boys, active hobbies, and a tiny, attractive partner who's less successful (by an academic metric) than they are.

I....... fit that pattern. I want to fit that pattern. That is the life that I want. My choice of partner earns a lot of raised eyebrows in academic circles because it's as if I'm "settling". I might be, but not for those reasons.

**Kara Dreamer (obsolete) ⚧** @kara_dreamer · 2017-10-12T02:20:34Z

Kara Dreamer (obsolete) ⚧ @kara_dreamer

musings on academia, gender and sexuality Afficher plus

@Maenad I admit I've tended to favor the scientists who regarded their wives as partners in their work and who shared credit. Not too many examples; Louis and Mary Feiser come to mind, and of course the Curies

12 oct. 2017, 02:20 · SubwayTooter · 0 · 1

**Maggie** @Maenad · 12 oct. 2017, 02:22

**Maggie** @Maenad · 12 oct. 2017, 02:22

12 oct. 2017, 02:22

Maggie @Maenad

musings on academia, gender and sexuality Afficher plus

@kara_dreamer I mean there's a larger cultural trend there.

Stories of male partnerships tend to be with other men, and not romantic. (Buddy cop movies are the classic for me, but there are others).

Stories of female partnerships tend to be romantic.

It's fucking disgusting.

That said, I want my life partner to be separate from my work. Science as an all consuming passion is a toxic ideal - it's work, and work life balance is good, and makes you a better scientist. I don't want to do work with my life partner over dinner, I want to relax.

**Kara Dreamer (obsolete) ⚧** @kara_dreamer · 12 oct. 2017, 02:31

**Kara Dreamer (obsolete) ⚧** @kara_dreamer · 12 oct. 2017, 02:31

12 oct. 2017, 02:31

Kara Dreamer (obsolete) ⚧ @kara_dreamer

musings on academia, gender and sexuality Afficher plus

@Maenad I suppose I have a bit of cultural programming to rewrite. You do get the occasional storied partnership between two men but almost never in the sciences (apropos of nothing, Diels and Alder apparently hated each other).

I have never and at this rate probably will never have a job as a scientist, so I can still afford to treat it as a passion. It's the only thing that's gotten me through some days, that way

**Maggie** @Maenad · 12 oct. 2017, 02:35

**Maggie** @Maenad · 12 oct. 2017, 02:35

12 oct. 2017, 02:35

Maggie @Maenad

musings on academia, gender and sexuality Afficher plus

@kara_dreamer I've seen a couple in the sciences.

Anderson and May being the one that immediately springs to mind, but Watson and Crick is another example, and that's just in my immediate orbit.

**Kara Dreamer (obsolete) ⚧** @kara_dreamer · 12 oct. 2017, 02:37

**Kara Dreamer (obsolete) ⚧** @kara_dreamer · 12 oct. 2017, 02:37

12 oct. 2017, 02:37

Kara Dreamer (obsolete) ⚧ @kara_dreamer

musings on academia, gender and sexuality Afficher plus

@Maenad Watson and Crick are partners in science the way that Burke and Hare were partners in medicine