We lack credibility, and it holds us back. Female scientists were 2.5 times more productive than their male peers of the same perceived competence. We must work harder then men just to be considered acceptable, and it holds us back. Oh, yes, we now have the power to sue if our boss grabs our butt or if we are blatantly discriminated against in a hiring or promotion decision simply because we are female. But the edifice remains.
People still think in gender-biased terms that subtley give men a serious advantage.
Every one of us at 3rd WWWave has caught herself in this trap of playing out biased gender roles. You've done it too. On this page, you are invited to partake in some simple thought experiments. You are to imagine yourself in a world where the subtle gender bias that pervades human interactions favors females over males. Don't feel inhibited because at least when you're done reading this page, you can go back to the real world where you can pretend there's no bias.