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2018 GSA Presidential Address:

Navigating “Me, too” in the Geosciences

Delivered at the GSA Annual Meeting “1. ‘Gender harassment’ means using verbal and nonverbal
in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, on behaviors that convey hostility, objectification, exclusion, or
4 November 2018 second-class status. The use of derogatory terms, inappropri-
Robbie Gries, Priority Oil & Gas LLC, ate jokes, pictures, etc.;
Denver, Colorado 80227, USA “2.‘Unwanted sexual attention,’ including unwelcome verbal or
physical sexual advances; and
We have seen the “Me, too!” move- “3.‘Sexual coercion’…favorable professional treatment is condi-
ment expand across all aspects of tioned on sexual activity.”
humankind. From Hollywood, where it Most people may think of sexual harassment as just unwanted
Robbie Gries grew legs, to Congress, state legislatures, sexual attention or sexual coercion—however, this study defines
the White House, huge corporations, gender harassment (the use of verbal and nonverbal behaviors)
small businesses, sports, television personalities, the military, as a form of sexual harassment, and it is the most common form.
the Olympics, religions, and, yes, to GSA. Sexual harassment can be either direct (targeting an individual)
Before Harvey Weinstein—before something hit the prover- or ambient (generalized over a larger group or population). Both
bial fan—GSA was already receiving and addressing complaints are harmful and create a hostile environment.
from members who experienced harassment (ranging from bul- The National Academies study referred to a University of
lying to sexual assault, but most commonly, gender harassment). Texas System ARC3 Campus Climate Survey (Swartout, 2018)
We launched a review of our ethics position, our obligations, that found that 17% of science students (including geosciences)
and our Code of Conduct to ensure our Society has the means to experience sexist hostility. Surprisingly, it was found that 13%
effectively deal with unprofessional behavior at GSA meetings, of the male science students experience sexual harassment,
field trips, and other sponsored events. GSA recognized the compared to 17% of the women. AND, populations with
absence of good definitions and effective procedures and made multiple marginalities (female, people of color, and gender non-
moves to correct that. GSA’s initiative was timely and good conformist minorities) experience a greater rate of harassment.
strides have been made. We are taking “proactive measures.” Corroborating the Texas study, a Pennsylvania State University
I believe people in the geosciences have excellent skills to System study completed in 2015 found that 30%–40% of all
address harassment, prejudice, and gender issues. We have the science students (not just geoscience) experience sexist hostility
scientific skills and intellect to address many societal problems from faculty/staff. The variation in percent depends on the cam-
and we are good at using these skills. We routinely gather data, pus and the discipline. In the sciences (excluding engineering
review published studies, and conduct in-depth conversations and medical), 12%–18% experience crude behavior and 4%–5%
with experts. This is second nature to the professional geoscientist. unwanted sexual attention. Sexual coercion is, fortunately, low,
What is not second nature to us is how to employ these skills at ~1%. It is little comfort to read that 50% of medical students
in our interpersonal relationships, including our interactions have experienced sexist hostility. In fact, across the board,
with colleagues, staff, students, and even our families. And this medical student stats were terrible, including a large percentage
can make a big difference. of male students who experienced harassment.
So, first, let’s look at facts. The Facts. Data. The scientist’s Top-down harassment has the most harmful impact, and,
friend and staple for sound analysis. fortunately, it is much less frequent in the sciences than peer
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and harassment—80% of reported harassment is by peers. But,
Medicine published in the summer of 2018 a report, “Sexual again, all reports of harassment are exacerbated when involving
harassment of women: Climate, culture, and consequences.” a person of color or gender diversity.
Though mostly about women, because they are the target of The largest contributor to sexual harassment is organizational
most harassment, it includes substantial data on men, too. environment. This puts the geosciences in jeopardy because
Incredibly, studies on sexual harassment from the 1980s geoscience inherently has many of these organizational
through today continue to show that sexual harassment of hazards. These are:
women is widespread in workplaces and that the rates of 1. Institutions where men outnumber women;
sexual harassment have not significantly decreased. This 2. Where there is an absence of organizational sanctions—
is a disturbing finding. meaning complaints not taken seriously;
Let’s look first at how sexual harassment was defined in the 3. Where leadership provides a model for inappropriate
National Academies study: Sexual harassment is a form of dis- behavior; and
crimination that consists of three types of behavior: 4. Where there are large power differentials.

Copyright 2019, The Geological Society of America; https://doi.org/GSAT18PrsAdr.1.

16 GSA Today | February 2019