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Out in the field: Pioneering study of LGBTQ geoscientists finds difficulties, dangers

#1
C C Offline
https://news.ku.edu/2020/11/02/pioneerin...-fieldwork

RELEASE: For a geoscientist, the benefits of performing fieldwork are countless. Researching in nature gives geoscientists firsthand contact with the earth’s raw materials and a chance to test ideas and develop theories — as well as to make new discoveries. For this reason, geoscientists often trek to faraway locations, negotiating difficult physical terrain and distinctive cultural landscapes to access geologic features vital to their research.

But there’s a problem: For geoscientists from minority and underrepresented populations, fieldwork can prove daunting — and even physically dangerous. Women scientists could face harassment or sexual assault; scientists with disabilities could find field sites impossible to access; racial minority researchers might face prejudice and bigotry. But until now, no study has focused on fieldwork accessibility for LGBTQ geoscientists, in spite of obvious hazards. For instance, according to Newsweek, in 2019 there were 71 countries where homosexuality is illegal.

Recently, an investigation from University of Kansas researchers appeared in Eos, a publication of the American Geophysical Union, examining the challenges of fieldwork for LGBTQ geoscientists. Alison Olcott, associate professor of geology, and Matthew Downen, who recently earned his doctorate in geology from KU, surveyed the experience of LGBTQ scientists in “everything from wilderness treks, oceanographic cruises, and class field trips to museum and laboratory visits, trips to research centers, and attending conferences around the world.”

They found 55% of the geoscientists who identify as LGBTQ indicated they’d been in an area where they didn’t feel safe due to their identity, expression or presentation — while about a third have refused to do fieldwork due to concerns for personal safety related to their identity.

“There are many places with really excellent geological samples that might not be safe for an LGBTQ+ geologist to go travel,” Olcott said. “It’s something unrecognized in the field, by academic advisers in particular. It seemed like an unseen, unacknowledged problem in the geosciences, where we’re dependent on where the rocks are — but not everyone is equally safe to go to these places.”

The impetus for the study came from Downen, inspired by his years attending a growing LGBTQ social event thrown each year at the Geological Society of America’s conference. “It used to just be a small dinner with maybe 10 to 15 people — but in the last few years it just skyrocketed,” he said. “One year, it was over 60 people, and not everybody could attend. I remember seeing so many new younger people, people my age. There were a lot of different identities and genders represented, and I was floored by all the incredible diversity.”

Downen wondered about the experiences of the emerging LGBTQ community in the geosciences, so he began collecting data informally for a presentation to the KU chapter of the organization Out in STEM. “I was curious to know who really is out there and what the community really looks like within geology,” he said. “I also wanted to do this research because it’s important for people in the LGBTQ+ community in geology to know there are other people out there like them.”

Looking to improve the data, Downen and Olcott conducted a broader, more rigorous survey of geoscientists online. Their results revealed that “many of these scientists felt unseen, unheard and unsupported in their field.”

Most striking, the KU researchers found that LGBTQ graduate students in geosciences often aren’t adequately supported by faculty advisers, especially as “relative to faculty, students typically have far less control over their field site selection.” Their survey found LGBTQ graduate students (29%) are significantly less likely than professors (57%) to have opted out of fieldwork in a specific locality because of safety fears.

“In geology, usually the graduate student is doing a project based off of the adviser's main project,” Olcott said. “An adviser will likely say, ‘Oh, I have this grant to go to to a field locality and look at these examples.’ We were really struck that so many professors had not done a research project because of their identity, but it was only 29% of the graduate students. It seemed like graduate students were being put in a position where they were being made to do things where they felt unsafe, but couldn’t say no or didn’t feel comfortable saying, ‘Hey, I’m not safe here because of who I am.’”

The authors suggest institutions and mentors should provide more resources to LGBTQ graduate students in the geosciences to ensure their security in the field. “People who are advising students and leading field trips or fieldwork need to better educate themselves and be more aware of different policies or just the attitudes in a certain area,” Downen said.

Olcott and Downen said faculty mentors and institutions could provide travel guidance and resources geared to LGBTQ personnel prior to fieldwork. In the classroom, professors could confront homophobia by using inclusive language and students’ preferred pronouns. Meantime, faculty and staff should offer supportive academic advising, visible allyship and diversity training.

Both authors stressed homophobia and barriers to fieldwork aren’t limited to far-flung countries but often are faced much closer to home. “We’re not saying North America and Europe are awesome and everywhere else is terrible for LGBTQ+ geoscientists,” Olcott said. “It’s a more granular issue — just because the place on the map is designated friendly, it doesn’t mean necessarily that way everywhere.”

“If you’re traveling globally, a world map showing where your identity could be criminalized is just kind of the most basic thing,” Downen said. “Even in the U.S., depending on where you go, it may not be friendly there, either — that’s where some LGBTQ+ geoscientists have reported their worst field experiences due to their LGBTQ+ identity.”

The study by Olcott and Downen soon will be republished in a double print-issue on “the Future of Geoscience” in Eos. In late October, Olcott presented their findings at the annual meeting of the Geological Society of America.
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#2
Leigha Offline
Interesting. I wonder how well diversity initiatives work if you're traveling to an area of the world, that has a negative cultural view of the LGBTQ community? Who is responsible for protecting these geoscientists, should they experience harassment, etc when they're out in the field? (physically, but also legally)
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#3
C C Offline
(Nov 11, 2020 11:19 PM)Leigha Wrote: Interesting. I wonder how well diversity initiatives work if you're traveling to an area of the world, that has a negative cultural view of the LGBTQ community? Who is responsible for protecting these geoscientists, should they experience harassment, etc when they're out in the field? (physically, but also legally)

With most mentors and faculty advisors lacking concern themselves, there are probably few assurances and safeguards from the officials or elders of a local community where the fieldwork takes place, either. The scariest spots in the world probably don't feature any awareness and support from their educational system and government.

Who would even notify local officials of vulnerable identities on a team? Staying in stealth mode might actually be the best approach, rather than announcing it to residents. "It seemed like graduate students were being put in a position where they [...] didn’t feel comfortable saying, ‘Hey, I’m not safe here because of who I am.’
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#4
C C Offline
Here's an LGBTQ+ index of dangerous places that might be useful for geoscientists. Wouldn't really address the finely-tuned "granular issue" that Olcott mentions, though.

A study of the world’s most dangerous countries for LGBTQ+ travel reveals the good, the average and the utterly grotesque
https://www.asherfergusson.com/lgbtq-travel-safety/
- - - - - -

20 Most Dangerous Places For Gay Travelers (And The 5 Safest) (excerpts): Depending on where they’re headed, gay travelers can face great risks. [...] According to Equaldex, a range of gay activities are illegal in 71 countries. “This is horrifying,” says journalist Lyric Fergusson, who runs a blog with her husband Asher that is focused on travel safety. In an attempt to help determine the worst places for gay travelers, the duo has created a new LGBTQ+ Danger Index that ranks the world’s most dangerous—and safest—countries for gay travelers.

[...] Topping the LGBTQ+ Danger Index is Nigeria, which is considered the worst country for violence against gay travelers. There, people can be put in prison for up to 14 years just for being gay, and some states even have the death penalty under Sharia law.

Sweden is the safest country in the world for LGBTQ travelers. Same-sex marriage has been legal there since 2009, and the country has more Pride festivals per capita than anywhere else in the world.

One shocking statistic: “A whopping 47 of the 70 countries that have illegal same-sex relationships were part of the British Empire. That is 67%!” says Fergusson. “This isn’t a coincidence. In almost all cases, the laws outlawing consensual gay sex were put into place under British rule and were left in place following independence.”
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#5
Zinjanthropos Offline
Danger is everywhere. People gotta stop thinking Earth is 100% safe. For millions of years its been a daily grind for life. Why should today be any different? Any decision should be made with how much risk you're willing to take. If there's anything humans should know its knowing what animal is the most dangerous. Would I work today with geophysicists who didn't observe Covid safety protocol? No F**king way! So many factors you have to add up before venturing into anything with humans. It's always going to be a battle of brains and brawn.

Why don't I campaign for atheism in downtown Baghdad or my local mosque? Because my life would be put in danger. I'm not whining about it, just using common sense....staying alive. If you fear for your safety then don't take the risk. Time moves on, there'll be other opportunities, risk factors change and so on.

I wonder if geophysicist sexual orientation would matter here: Brrrrrr

https://news.agu.org/press-release/colde...s-thought/
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