I'm flipping through a 1962 volume titled "The Sociology of Science" that I got at a used bookstore a few months ago. (I was trying to recruit used booksellers for my design project and felt compelled to browse, buy, and get a feel for the place before springing my request on them -- an expensive effort to get 3 sellers.)

An article by Margaret Mead caught my eye since she's famous for studying Samoans, not scientists, and I was amused by this quote. Mead explains that the image of scientists is overwhelmingly negative "when the question becomes one of personal contact with science, as a career choice or involving a choice of a husband."

The odds are good but the goods are odd haha chuckle chuckle they say to those of us in male dominated majors. Mostly, it's novel to see Mead, often described as a feminist anthropologist, communicate the assumption that the scientist will be male.

Almost everywhere in the 60s-70s science studies literature I've been looking at, you see the actors referred to as "he" and I won't jump to the conclusion that it's sexist (though someone wanting to have a more radical discussion might) as there are many who use he as shorthand for he/she, not liking the awkward construction. Maybe I should also assume husband is shorthand for husband/wife? No, not when spouse would is shorter than husband. :)

(cross posted to my livejournal)