Ms. Rimpa Lahiri PhD, a leading female neuroscientist was attending a scientific conference in Montgomery, Alabama. During a break in between two sessions, she would decide to visit city’s landmark Rosa Parks Museum. The museum had been dedicated to Late Rosa Parks, an African American woman as well as a civil rights activist. A few scores years ago, she famously refused to give up her seat, in the “black only” section of a public bus, to a fellow white male rider. The gentleman could not find a seat in the filled “white only” section. This was also the time when Montgomery had been known as one of the most segregated cities in America. Ms. Parks was arrested, taken to a police station and finger-printed by a white police officer, treating her as a criminal. And, it was a black and white photograph of that last event that took a deep root in Dr. Lahiri’s head. It was the calm demeanor of Ms. Parks in the face of a most indignant moment for a woman. It was as if she had no fear, but was confident that she did nothing wrong except exercising her own human right. In fact, when asked later whether she was tired from a day’s hard work to take such a drastic action, she would famously proclaim “The only tired I was, was tired of giving in.”
Recently both sides of the Atlantic have gotten rocked by the allegations from women of all ages about the perpetual male harassment (in both subtle and not-too-subtle forms) during their professional journeys, whether that is in politics, academia, sports, and performing arts. After suffering silently with their mental scar over a long period of time, a few brave ones finally decided to open up and bring charges against their past and present tormentors, how powerful those men might be. That also opened the floodgates for other sufferers.
Dr. Lahiri remembers her own experience very well. As a foreign-born graduate student, she was at the mercy of her doctoral preceptor. She would spend every waking moment doing experiments in the laboratory, being expected to produce breakthrough discoveries bringing fame to her advisor. The mentor knew very well that Ms. Lahiri’s earning of the doctoral degree solely depended on his final approval. The quiet mental suffering during those four years used to tempt her in quitting. But she could not rock the boat, instead persisted.
Now, Dr. Lahiri is thankful to all those brave women who finally came forward to confront their tormentors, as well as starting the social media campaign #metoo. It reminds her Ms. Parks’ wisdom: "I have learned over the years that when one's mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear."
Recently both sides of the Atlantic have gotten rocked by the allegations from women of all ages about the perpetual male harassment (in both subtle and not-too-subtle forms) during their professional journeys, whether that is in politics, academia, sports, and performing arts. After suffering silently with their mental scar over a long period of time, a few brave ones finally decided to open up and bring charges against their past and present tormentors, how powerful those men might be. That also opened the floodgates for other sufferers.
Dr. Lahiri remembers her own experience very well. As a foreign-born graduate student, she was at the mercy of her doctoral preceptor. She would spend every waking moment doing experiments in the laboratory, being expected to produce breakthrough discoveries bringing fame to her advisor. The mentor knew very well that Ms. Lahiri’s earning of the doctoral degree solely depended on his final approval. The quiet mental suffering during those four years used to tempt her in quitting. But she could not rock the boat, instead persisted.
Now, Dr. Lahiri is thankful to all those brave women who finally came forward to confront their tormentors, as well as starting the social media campaign #metoo. It reminds her Ms. Parks’ wisdom: "I have learned over the years that when one's mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear."
