Violet Lenses: A Fresh Perspective on the World of Research

The gender perspective is crucial not only in the development of scientific and technological research, but also in the narration and communication of these disciplines.

Former president of the Mexican Network of Science Journalists and coordinator of the master’s degree in environmental journalism at the Center for Atmospheric and Ecological Research, Cecilia Montero, expressed this during the panel Communicating science with violet glasses.

The discussion was held yesterday at the Cultural Center of Spain in Mexico, in line with the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, celebrated annually on February 11, as requested by the United Nations Educational Organization, Science and Culture (UNESCO) and the United Nations (UN) Office for Women.

As the editor of the magazine Noosphere, Montero explained the significance of the metaphorical violet glasses –a term used to describe a fresh perspective that recognizes the unjust situations, disadvantages, and contempt faced by women– in the entire scientific process.

The idea is to incorporate this perspective when creating and developing a methodology for science, and also afterwards, because the process continues in how to communicate it from a ‘violet eyes’ standpoint. She emphasized the importance of considering how science will be communicated, disseminated, and reported from this viewpoint.

Montero emphasized that when communicating science, it’s essential to understand that the violet glasses should be worn by both men and women, as they are part of a society that should adopt a gender perspective.

She also stressed the need to create more spaces in Mexico to inspire new generations, particularly girls, to both produce scientific knowledge and research, and to communicate and disseminate it.

Mónica Angulo Miñarro, project manager at the British Council and voluntary general director of Girls in tech Mexico, concurred with Montero, stating that the communication of science with a gender perspective requires scientific research to be conducted with the same perspective.

She referred to a ten-point guide for communicating science from a gender perspective, initiated by the chair of scientific culture at the University of the Basque Country.

Despite acknowledging the prevailing male-dominated view of science that makes it challenging for girls to be drawn to scientific careers, Miñarro noted that many governments and institutions globally have been striving for decades to increase women’s participation in the field.

She added that the current statistics are concerning, given that not only is the number of women in technology and science globally low, but these sectors are expected to account for 75 percent of future jobs and offer the highest salaries.

Therefore, having more women in science is not only a matter of social justice but is also crucial for a balanced representation of both sexes in scientific work.

Other participants in the discussion included Liliana Quintanar from the Center for Research and Advanced Studies (Cinvestav), and biologist Aketzalli González Santiago from the La Bombilla outreach collective.

González Santiago highlighted the importance of science communication with a gender perspective, citing that history has been dominated by the narrative of men’s evolution and achievements, resulting in the marginalization and reduction of women.