Science magazine told a student to 'put up with' adviser looking down her shirt
Science magazine's career site fielded a troubling message Monday from a post-doc student joining a new lab, with a new adviser.
"Whenever we meet in his office, I catch him trying to look down my shirt," the student, presumably a woman, wrote to advice columnist and scientist Alice Huang.
Huang responded by saying the unwelcome advance probably wouldn't qualify as unlawful sexual harassment, and that she should just, well, deal with it.
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"As long as your adviser does not move on to other advances, I suggest you put up with it, with good humor if you can," Huang wrote. "Just make sure that he is listening to you and your ideas, taking in the results you are presenting, and taking your science seriously."
After people expressed outrage, Science took down the article and posted the following retraction note:
So, why don't more women pursue careers in science?
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Julie Kliegman is a freelance writer based in New York. Her work has appeared in BuzzFeed, Vox, Mental Floss, Paste, the Tampa Bay Times and PolitiFact. Her cats can do somersaults.
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