ANALYSIS AND OPINION WOMEN IN OPTICS
Finding common ground on gender issues in optics and photonics
Optical research engineer, Katie Schwertz, discusses the need for mutual understanding and empathy within the photonics community in order to move towards gender equity
A
s an active member of local and national advocacy efforts
regarding women in optics and STEM fields, I have participated in many women in optics and gender equity events, including panels, keynote speakers, and networking receptions. It’s incredibly empowering to attend these events and participate in conversations about addressing gender issues in the workplace and in STEM culture. It is eye opening to see what issues are frequently discussed and how universal many experiences are for women in engineering. When preparing to write this
article, I considered focusing on many of the typical topics that come up with regards to women in science, and several of the proposed solutions to tackle gender inequalities. However, one thing kept nagging at me: outside of events and conversations focused on addressing gender issues, I often hear statements such as, ‘I know there are problems, but I’ve just never experienced them myself,’ or ‘all the women I know seem happy in their work’. I also hear variations of, ‘but it’s so much better than it used to be’. These sentiments frequently come from people in positions of power, who have generally been successful in their careers. They are often stated by men,
but I’ve also heard them from women too. A recent study showed that
perceptions of gender issues differ across a variety of factors including education, age, personal experiences, and political affiliations1
. I realised
that while I could write many opinions regarding what issues need to be addressed, or how to tackle gender issues in optics and photonics, until we are all on the same page – namely willing to acknowledge that a problem exists – substantial progress will not be achieved. I wrote this to provide a
perspective to those who have been privileged enough to not have their career impeded or affected by their gender. I acknowledge my perspective
Job satisfaction by gender
I have an excellent work/life balance I am paid fairly
I am happy with my pay My work is respected by my peers
Promotions at my organisation are handled fairly I enjoy my work
My work is meaningful I would recommend my field to my child or a friend 0 20% 40% 60% 80%
Sorted from greatest to least difference between genders. Percentage indicates the sum of respondents who agree, to strongly agree, with each statement
Graph depicting job satisfaction by gender, taken from the SPIE 2017 Optics & Photonics Global Salary Report The International Society for Optics and Photonics, SPIE
100%
WOMEN MEN
may be different from yours, and I am not writing from a place of derision towards those who hold different views. My goal is to provide insight, in the hope that I encourage the optics and photonics industry to find common ground in our perceptions, so that we can make a real and lasting impact towards gender equity. First, the term ‘gender equity’ and differentiating it from the term ‘gender equality’. Picture a race track at the Olympics, with athletes preparing to run laps around the track. All the athletes line up in a row next to each other, and have to stay in their lane throughout the race. You could argue that they are all being treated equally – they all start from the same place at the same time. However, the outer lane is longer than the inner lane, so the athletes are staggered such that the athlete on the outside lane is positioned in front of the athlete on the inside lane. We recognise the fact that the race is not truly fair without this compensation. The concept of gender equity means we
recognise disadvantages people or groups face solely because of their gender, and work to remedy those differences. Now picture instead your
co-workers or colleagues lined up in a single row at the start line. You place all the men towards the inside lane and all the women towards the outside lane. This may be an ‘equal’ start, but everyone in the inside lane you know will have an advantage. Therefore, we need to take actions to provide a more equitable ‘race’ by promoting programmes and policies that support women. Now, you may argue: ‘Katie! But in a race, we can measure the distance differences from the inner lane to the outer lane, so we can make an accurate compensation’. Fortunately, we can measure differences in
“Gender equity policies are not meant for advancing one group over the other, but to improve fairness by recognising inequities and working to correct them”
28 Electro Optics December 2017/January 2018
@electrooptics |
www.electrooptics.com
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