Intersectional Science March sign ideas
April 9, 2017 8:08 AM Subscribe
I'm going to a local offshoot of the upcoming March for Science, and I'm looking for sign ideas. Specifications inside.
The theme of the march, as I understand it, is that science is important, that evidence-based policies are important, and that the government should act accordingly. I would like my signage to reflect that theme, but I would also like it to reflect that you're not going to get good science if you privilege white cis males as the norm, or have them doing the bulk of the research. Intersectionality isn't a distraction or a nice bonus; it's necessary to the core mission.
I want to avoid getting entirely off the theme. Something like "Trans Rights Are Human Rights" would be up my alley in another context, but I want to stick with the science focus. I'd also prefer to "yes and" the overall message, not come across as counterprotesting.
Any suggestions?
The theme of the march, as I understand it, is that science is important, that evidence-based policies are important, and that the government should act accordingly. I would like my signage to reflect that theme, but I would also like it to reflect that you're not going to get good science if you privilege white cis males as the norm, or have them doing the bulk of the research. Intersectionality isn't a distraction or a nice bonus; it's necessary to the core mission.
I want to avoid getting entirely off the theme. Something like "Trans Rights Are Human Rights" would be up my alley in another context, but I want to stick with the science focus. I'd also prefer to "yes and" the overall message, not come across as counterprotesting.
Any suggestions?
A photograph of Henrietta Lacks? Every biologist I know has worked with HeLa cells at some point, whether in a college lab course or in their active research. Before Rebecca Skloot's book came out, I'll warrant very few of them knew or even considered where those cells came from.
posted by basalganglia at 9:43 AM on April 9, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by basalganglia at 9:43 AM on April 9, 2017 [4 favorites]
As for female scientists, some of whom are not-white:
Wikipedia has a list of 20th century women scientists
posted by Multicellular Exothermic at 10:02 AM on April 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
Wikipedia has a list of 20th century women scientists
posted by Multicellular Exothermic at 10:02 AM on April 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
A picture, a list, etc with underappreciated scientists with "you should be saying thank you" or "they need more attention not less" or something like that would be good.
If you're looking for something more witty and less flat-out informative, having a list of women who's work has been stolen with "Stop letting men make science decisions 2017" would be great. (not that it's less informative, it's just you'd' have to already know about science history to get it.)
posted by FirstMateKate at 10:34 AM on April 9, 2017 [2 favorites]
If you're looking for something more witty and less flat-out informative, having a list of women who's work has been stolen with "Stop letting men make science decisions 2017" would be great. (not that it's less informative, it's just you'd' have to already know about science history to get it.)
posted by FirstMateKate at 10:34 AM on April 9, 2017 [2 favorites]
I like very short messages for signs. They can be read further away. So "LISTEN" is one of the most powerful intersectionality words that I can think of. So I like "LISTEN -> LEARN -> TEACH", maybe with arrows flowing in a circle, but starting with LISTEN.
(I'd carry an "Alan Turing is my hero" sign, so recalling Einstein and Meitner and others, SCIENCE DEFEATED NAZIs, or Brilliant minds defeated Nazis, or some such.) (Punch Authoritarianism With Science? They fear what they don't understand?)
posted by puddledork at 11:27 AM on April 9, 2017 [2 favorites]
(I'd carry an "Alan Turing is my hero" sign, so recalling Einstein and Meitner and others, SCIENCE DEFEATED NAZIs, or Brilliant minds defeated Nazis, or some such.) (Punch Authoritarianism With Science? They fear what they don't understand?)
posted by puddledork at 11:27 AM on April 9, 2017 [2 favorites]
Best answer: I was thinking something like - science by all for all - maybe over a collage of some cool scientists.
posted by lab.beetle at 11:30 AM on April 9, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by lab.beetle at 11:30 AM on April 9, 2017 [3 favorites]
"Diversity leads to higher-quality scientific research!"
"Diversity is correlated with better performance!"
"When disagreement comes from a socially different person, scientists are prompted to work harder!"
"Scientists work harder in diverse environments both cognitively and socially!"
posted by Rob Rockets at 1:09 PM on April 9, 2017 [2 favorites]
"Diversity is correlated with better performance!"
"When disagreement comes from a socially different person, scientists are prompted to work harder!"
"Scientists work harder in diverse environments both cognitively and socially!"
posted by Rob Rockets at 1:09 PM on April 9, 2017 [2 favorites]
Why not have:
Diversity
Needs
Advocates
in science!
or
Racism
Never
Advances
science!
posted by Toddles at 4:27 PM on April 9, 2017 [3 favorites]
Diversity
Needs
Advocates
in science!
or
Racism
Never
Advances
science!
posted by Toddles at 4:27 PM on April 9, 2017 [3 favorites]
To be honest, I was planning on wearing a pussy hat, and hoping that gets the intersectionality message across all by itself.
posted by lollusc at 5:52 PM on April 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by lollusc at 5:52 PM on April 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
Or what if you just had the word "intersectionality" on a sign all by itself? Because it's one word, it could be really big and obvious, and I bet a non-zero number of people at the march would be curious enough to look it up, and they'd learn something.
posted by lollusc at 5:56 PM on April 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by lollusc at 5:56 PM on April 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I'm a fan of "This is what a scientist looks like" as as slogan. If you're a female scientist, then the words alone will work. If you're not, couple it with a picture of a female scientist. (so many great choices!)
posted by chrisamiller at 8:18 PM on April 9, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by chrisamiller at 8:18 PM on April 9, 2017 [2 favorites]
As a trans woman signed up for the march, I'm planning on holding a sign that says "Trans Sisters Power Tech." (say it aloud)
Not sure who you are or who you'll be marching with, but I feel it's a slogan that ties to the theme and acknowledges non-cishets need to be welcome. Plus, there's trans women with great achievements in tech (Sophie Wilson, Martine Rothblatt). And of course, if you include gay people, you get even more people, not the least of which is Turing.
posted by ikea_femme at 9:10 PM on April 9, 2017 [5 favorites]
Not sure who you are or who you'll be marching with, but I feel it's a slogan that ties to the theme and acknowledges non-cishets need to be welcome. Plus, there's trans women with great achievements in tech (Sophie Wilson, Martine Rothblatt). And of course, if you include gay people, you get even more people, not the least of which is Turing.
posted by ikea_femme at 9:10 PM on April 9, 2017 [5 favorites]
Response by poster: Thank you all! I've marked as "best" the two answers that I'm currently tending toward going with, but these are all good, and helpful.
posted by Shmuel510 at 8:46 PM on April 10, 2017
posted by Shmuel510 at 8:46 PM on April 10, 2017
Response by poster: (Also, as regards Hidden Figures, I'll be wearing this shirt. If the weather is nice enough, it won't even be hidden under a jacket!)
posted by Shmuel510 at 8:47 PM on April 10, 2017
posted by Shmuel510 at 8:47 PM on April 10, 2017
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 8:51 AM on April 9, 2017 [1 favorite]