Today, November 18th, is the celebration of International Day of LGBTQIA+ People in STEM! Today and everyday, we are proud to highlight the work and contributions of LGBTQIA+ people in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math.
It is important to celebrate and uplift our community — which includes famous names from Alan Turing to Sally Ride — especially when we consider that LGBTQIA+ students are less likely to finish a STEM degree than their peers and many LGBTQIA+ scientists still report experiencing or witnessing exclusionary behavior in the workplace.
PRIDE in STEM day is celebrated on the anniversary of Frank Kameny’s US Supreme Court fight against workplace discrimination. Kameny was an American astronomer, who was dismissed from his position in the US Army in 1957 because of his sexuality -- which spurred him to a life of activism and fighting for equal employment protections for LGBTQIA+ people.
In honor of Kameny’s activism and contributions to the STEM field, take a look at these resources for further learning about the LGBTQIA+ community in STEM.
- 500 Queer Scientists (Global visibility campaign)
- LGBTQ+STEM (Global visibility campaign)
Plus, here’s a short list of community-building resources for professional development:
- Committee for Sexual-Orientation & Gender Minorities in Astronomy
- American Institute of Physics Diversity Initiative
- National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals
- Out in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
Learn more about PRIDE in STEM day by clicking here.
