A professor at Ryerson University in Toronto is sounding the alarm about a “crisis” taking place in the field of mathematics: deafening silence regarding “EDI,” an abbreviation for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.
Professor Anthony Bonato believes that mathematics departments need to focus more on gender parity and queer awareness, according to his recent op-ed in the National Post.
“My own department has only three women faculty out of 21 tenured or tenure-track professors: Our percentage of women math faculty members is only 14 percent,” Bonato said, anecdotally.
Bonato also expressed his personal difficulties as a self-described “gay mathematician,” adding that a lack of role models has made his career more challenging.
“It’s tough to encourage youth to study calculus when they are getting beat up for being who they really are.” Bonato asserts in his publication. “When your government criminalizes your identity, it makes it that much harder to think about number theory.”
The professor doesn’t reference any legislation or laws in Canada that actually criminalizes individuals for their respective sexual orientation or gender.
Bonato would like to diversify the present members of academia in order to achieve what he describes as “gender parity.” He believes that it is a necessity for departments to pay more concentrated attention on hiring practices in order to achieve gender parity, which, according to him, would be the subsequent result of a more diversified academic staff.
Bonato also argues that general “gender awareness” is not enough, asserting that there aren’t enough organizations “devoted to queers in STEM.”
“Spectra is one group I know of supporting LGBTQI2S folk in mathematics,” Bonato states. “Other organizations focus more broadly in STEM, such as LGBT STEM, National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals and Out in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.”
Bonato wants to make sure LGBTQI2S know that they are not alone.
“They need to know they are just as capable of progressing successfully in mathematics as their heterosexual or cisgendered counterparts.”
He concluded, “Mathematicians need to embrace our diversity as a strength, not as a burden or weakness,” Bonato expresses. “Diversity gives new perspectives and challenges the status quo. Isn’t that what mathematicians actually do for a living?”
Isaiah Denby is a college freshman from Tampa Bay, Florida studying economics and political science.
