• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Login/ Register
  • Editorial Team
  • Get Involved

Exeposé Online

Making the headlines since 1987

Exeposé Online
  • Home
  • News
      • Local
      • COVID-19
      • University News
  • Comment
  • Features
      • National
      • Worldwide
      • Politics
      • Interviews
  • Science
      • News
      • Lite Science
      • Common Misconceptions
      • Environment
      • Health
      • Technology
  • Sport
  • Lifestyle
      • Fashion and Beauty
      • Features
      • Food
      • Wellbeing
      • Sustainability
  • Music
      • Interviews
      • Features
      • Live Reviews
      • Album Reviews
      • Single Reviews
  • Screen
      • Reviews
      • Features
      • Interviews
      • Festivals and Awards
  • Arts + Lit
      • Interviews
      • Features
      • Reviews
      • Creative Writing
  • Amplify
  • International
  • Multilingual
  • News
  • Comment
  • Features
  • Science
  • Sport
  • Lifestyle
  • Music
  • Screen
  • Arts + Lit
  • Amplify
  • International
  • Multilingual
Home / Science / Science News

Blackhole Backlash

It’s funny how the image of a successful women seems to be such a controversy. Breaking the glass ceiling and flourishing never seems to come without bitter traditionalists picking up those shards of glass and throwing them towards the woman. Particularly in the fields of business, politics and STEM, usually dominated by men (more specifically, white middle-class men), women’s successes has been viewed uncomfortably. This has been the case with Katie Bouman, who, in the words of Mary Griggs writing for The Verge, has been subject to a “sexist scavenger hunt”.

Bouman is a 29 year old computer scientist, soon to be an assistant professor at Caltech. Bouman led one of the four teams that turned an array of hard drives into the first ever image of the black hole. This instrumental development put something 6.5 billion times greater than our Sun into our sight and yet online voices would rather criticise a woman celebrating an instrumental development she helped to produce, than join the joy and marvel in its glory. The backlash she received claimed to be “fairly” questioning her contribution, as she did work as part of a team. Along with an Instagram post of Bouman celebrating the photo, MIT congratulated her lead in the creation of the algorithm that led to this momentous moment, which gave the impression that her algorithm and work alone led to its creation.

online voices would rather criticise a woman celebrating an instrumental development she helped to produce, than join the joy and marvel in its glory

In response to the abuse, Bouman has emphasised that “the spotlight should be on the team and no individual person. Focusing on one person like this helps no one, including me.” While it is easy to agree that the whole team who contributed to the photograph should be given the credit they deserve, I can’t help but question if such a passionate foray of criticism would have been raised in defence of each team member had a man been inadvertently made face of the project. It seems a frequent phenomenon that the bitter voices of Twitter come to the defence of the whole, only when sole public credit is given to a woman. I won’t be subtle here, this online reaction was undoubtedly a product of the misogynistic discomfort at a woman succeeding in STEM. How many scientific developments announced under a male face and name have received this level of backlash?

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez rightly congratulated Bouman on Twitter, “take your rightful seat in history”. The sentiment here should speak to every young woman and remind us that the criticism Bouman receives does not undermine her achievement, and cannot take away from her success. Ocasio-Cortez herself is an emblem for women fighting for change, and is a constant reminder that the ceiling is only glass, and we do have the ability to break through it. Women in STEM are less common than any other subject (for sociological reasons I will spare you from hearing about here), and while government initiatives have been launched to encourage girls to engage in the field, they remain the minority. Bouman marks a valuable and long overdue role model and serves as an inspiration that women can and will succeed in this field. The more women do, the less power the bitter responses to seeing women take their place in the spotlight will have.

this online reaction was undoubtedly a product of the misogynistic discomfort at a woman succeeding in STEM

It is scary to think that our actions and our achievements in the future have the potential to pave the way for the girls of the generations that will follow, and it is scary to think that our successes will come under unforgiving scrutiny. But we will take our seat in history, and we will accomplish great things for women and for all.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related

May 14, 2019 By Natalie Tongue Filed Under: Science News, Lifestyle, Culture Tagged With: Feminism, women, Science, misogyny, STEM, women in science, black hole, Trolls, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Katie Bouman

Primary Sidebar

exeposelstyle

To help brighten up these cold winter days, Lifest To help brighten up these cold winter days, Lifestyle writers and editors are going to be bringing you some of their favourite winter warmers. Today Bridie brings us the recipe for her Nutella got chocolate - a perfectly decadent treat!

Ingredients:
- 1 tsp cocoa powder
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp nutella
- A mug of milk
- Whipped cream

Method:
Simply heat the Nutella, cocoa powder, sugar and milk in a saucepan, stirring frequently until warmed through, then pour into a mug and top with whipped cream. Mix another 2tsp of Nutella with 2 tsp water and drizzle on top of the cream for decoration.

Enjoy!❤️
With a second lockdown beginning on Thursday, we h With a second lockdown beginning on Thursday, we hope everyone is coping ok with this strange time to be a student at uni. Mental health is always a tricky space to navigate, and never more so than right now. If getting out of the house is key to remaining positive - then don’t forget campus study spaces and cafes will remain open. And if anyone is struggling with their mental health, reach out to others for help and support. You’re never going it alone!
⭐Introducing the Editors⭐ Hi, I'm Elinor and ⭐Introducing the Editors⭐ 

Hi, I'm Elinor and I'm the second half of the Online Lifestyle Team.

Being part of the Exeposé team is such a wonderful thing and I am so excited to see where the publication goes over the next year, with fabulous content, great writers and a superb team of editors. 

Head to our story to see what I get up to today! X
⭐️Introducing the editors⭐️ Hi guys! I’m ⭐️Introducing the editors⭐️
Hi guys! I’m Georgia and I’m the other half of the Print Lifestyle team! I’ll be sharing my day with you all! If you have any questions then don’t hesitate to send a DM 😊
⭐️Introducing the editors⭐️ Hi, my names F ⭐️Introducing the editors⭐️
Hi, my names Freya and I’m the joint Online Lifestyle Editor! I’ll be taking over the Instagram today, which incidentally coincides with my first day on uni Zooms! I can’t wait to read all the articles you guys will be submitting this year, and super excited to meet all our new writers.
⭐️Introducing the editors ⭐️ Hi everyone! ⭐️Introducing the editors ⭐️
Hi everyone! I’m one half of the lifestyle print team and today I have been running the Instagram stories! I’m so excited to start working with everyone - make sure to keep an eye out for our content call coming this week (it can be found on the lifestyle writers Facebook page)
Hi everyone, after a couple of weeks of finding my Hi everyone, after a couple of weeks of finding my feet as online lifestyle editor - I’m pleased to say the first article of my time at Exeposé is up on the website! Elinor Jones talks us through the dilemmas of long distance dating - swipe across for a sneak preview but head to the Exeposé website for the full article✨
💜 Check out the first edition of @exepose of 20 💜 Check out the first edition of @exepose of 2020! Available on campus now 💜
@rosiejohnsonillustrates are showcasing their prin @rosiejohnsonillustrates are showcasing their prints at the Slow Fashion Show 💕 held by @wowsancho and @in_exeter
Load More… Follow on Instagram
Tweets by Exeposé Lifestyle

Contact Us: editors@exepose.com

Since 1987, Exeposé has given a voice to Exeter students. Over the years, the determination and political fervour exhibited by students through Exeposé have helped shape the University we study at today. We have received national recognition for our award-winning campaigns, investigations and surveys, and always strive to provide students with high-quality news, comment and features.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in articles and comments do not reflect the views of Exeposé Online or the University of Exeter Student's Guild.

        


© 2021
Website design: Harry Caton and Ellie Cook
Webdesign & development: Harry Caton