Preprint Review Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Facing Racism and Sexism in Science by Fighting against Social Implicit Bias: A Latin and Black Woman Perspective.

Karin Calaza
ORCID logo ,
Fatima Erthal
,
Mirtes Pereira
,
Kita Macario
ORCID logo ,
Veronica Daflon
,
Isabel David
,
Helena Castro
,
Maria Vargas
,
Laura Martins
,
Jasmin Stariolo
,
Eliane Volchan
,
Leticia Oliveira
*
Version 1 : Received: 9 January 2021 / Approved: 12 January 2021 / Online: 12 January 2021 (17:51:36 CET)

How to cite: Calaza, K.; Erthal, F.; Pereira, M.; Macario, K.; Daflon, V.; David, I.; Castro, H.; Vargas, M.; Martins, L.; Stariolo, J.; Volchan, E.; Oliveira, L. Facing Racism and Sexism in Science by Fighting against Social Implicit Bias: A Latin and Black Woman Perspective.. Preprints 2021, 2021010236. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202101.0236.v1 Calaza, K.; Erthal, F.; Pereira, M.; Macario, K.; Daflon, V.; David, I.; Castro, H.; Vargas, M.; Martins, L.; Stariolo, J.; Volchan, E.; Oliveira, L. Facing Racism and Sexism in Science by Fighting against Social Implicit Bias: A Latin and Black Woman Perspective.. Preprints 2021, 2021010236. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202101.0236.v1

Abstract

The editors of several major journals have recently asserted the importance of combating racism and sexism in science. This is especially relevant now, as the COVID-19 pandemic may have led to a widening of the gender and racial/ethnicity gaps. Implicit bias is a crucial component in this fight. Negative stereotypes that are socially constructed in a given culture are frequently associated with implicit bias (which is unconscious or not perceived). In the present article, we point to scientific evidence that shows the presence of implicit bias in the academic community, which contributes to strongly damaging unconscious evaluations and judgments of individuals or groups. Additionally, we suggest several actions aimed at (1) editors and reviewers of scientific journals, (2) people in positions of power within funding agencies and research institutions and (3) members of selection committees to mitigate this effect. These recommendations are based on the experience of a group of Latin American scientists comprising Black and Latin women, teachers and undergraduate students who participate in a women in science working group at universities in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. With this article, we hope to contribute to reflections, actions and the development of institutional policies that enable and consolidate diversity in science and reduce disparities based on gender and race/ethnicity.

Keywords

implict bias; gender disparity; diversity; racial dispariry

Subject

Social Sciences, Psychology

Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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