Beyond Bias: Move from Awareness to Action

WHAT IS BIAS?

Ben Barres was an American neurobiologist at Stanford University, known for his research on glial cells in the nervous system. According to The Wall Street Journal, he gave a seminar in the late 1990s on some of his latest research to a prestigious group of top scientists. The presentation was well-received. Afterward, a friend told him one of the scientists commented how impressive the seminar was and how “Ben Barres’ work is much better than his sister’s.”¹ The problem is, Ben didn’t have a sister who did scientific work. Ben was a transgender man who had recently transitioned. In fact, the very research he had presented was conducted while he was known as Barbara.

Ben’s experience is an example of gender bias. Bias, broadly ...