Elusive Equity, Empathy, and Empowerment
One Woman’s Journey through the Challenges of Gender Bias in the Early Twenty-First Century
This is a partial memoir about the gender bias and inequality I
experienced while striving for and achieving a career in medicine. Many
gratifying and fulfilling experiences throughout my life are withheld
from this memoir to stay on point and not self-embellish my great
privilege and fortune as an upper-middle-class American citizen. There
are no mentions of chocolate, clogs, airplane adventures, beloved pets,
childhood and parenting milestones, NFL football, or NCAA basketball.
This is not a complete autobiography. The early chapters provide the
social context and backdrop for the latter chapters, which address
workforce power and control, double standards, gender bias,
discrimination, the boys’ club, harassment, contrived narratives for
predetermined goals, retaliation, disregard for objective data, and
misconceptions.
Many injustices and immoralities are simply awful but lawful. Culture
change is needed. Bad behavior in academia persists because it can
without accountability. Individuals who attempt to improve the work
environment with raised awareness are often retaliated against and/or
removed from the environment for divisive behavior. Patterns of behavior
often demonstrate a disregard for the welfare of women. Women are
responding, “Time’s up.” The storytelling and subsequent analyses
are evidence that sexual harassment is merely the tip of the iceberg of
inequity in the workplace (see Conflict Pyramid). Women want diverse,
moral leadership and decision-making bodies. Systemic abuse of power is
not acceptable.
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