Which came first: the order or the universe?
A recent cover story in Science Times, the regular science section of the New York Times , asked, “Which came first: the order or the universe? And can science ever supply an answer?” The article, “Laws of Nature, Source Unknown” seemed to be screaming one answer clearly: girls are not a part of the equation. This article featured a large, colored illustration which took up nearly half the page. Four prominent figures were represented in the article, three that appear to be boys drawing images related to various fields of science and exploration. The fourth image was that of a girl, standing by—perhaps she was observing, but it was obvious she wasn’t an active participant in the pursuit of science exploration.
Yes, the print version of the Times did include two other illustrations, including one that featured a girl alone with her drawings. But these were approximately two-inch square black and white images and they were buried a couple of pages into the section. It’s unfortunate that the editor didn’t clearly direct the illustrator to better represent gender participation in the sciences.
FYI: The article ran December 18th and the online version does not include the large illustration of dispute but does feature an expanded version of the two smaller ones—which appear as one illustration online—so unless you have access to the print version, you may not get the full picture.
Donna Tambascio
Deputy Director for Communications
& External Relations
Wellesley Centers for Women
Posted by Pat for Donna