The starter packs in STEM are becoming more specialist. The starter packs in STEM are becoming more men-only*. ▶️Starter pack makers - be careful what you curate. ▶️Starter pack followers - be careful what your feed looks like, and curate you follow. *At least >90 male-presenting. 🧪 - ThreadSky

bmatb.expmicromech.com • 97 days ago

The starter packs in STEM are becoming more specialist.

The starter packs in STEM are becoming more men-only*.

▶️Starter pack makers - be careful what you curate.
▶️Starter pack followers - be careful what your feed looks like, and curate you follow.

*At least >90 male-presenting.

🧪

Comments

drkjoyce.bsky.social•96 days ago

I created a starter pack for drone mapping that was clearly majority women - I’ve worked hard over the years to build that network. All add recommendations so far are men. Am very conscious of not perpetuating this bias and actively seeking inclusivity. I love that you’ve also called this out.

bmatb.expmicromech.com•97 days ago

Remember - seek out and value the voices of those you hear less, especially when there is a structural issue that is hiding people in plain sight.

And don't treat anyone as a token.

michiel3282.bsky.social•48 days ago

This is sagely advice and I stand by it 100% ❤️

profrachelgan.bsky.social•96 days ago

I've also been struck by the dominance of white researchers in some of the starter packs.

ijayas.bsky.social•96 days ago

I guess non-white, women/nonbinary folks in a list would be called a ‘non-starter pack’ in this club culture of science in this day and age 🤡.

profrachelgan.bsky.social•96 days ago

I shouldn't have laughed at that because the whole situation is not actually funny... but 😂.
I have seen e.g. black women starter packs - I am just not sure they are the solution...

ijayas.bsky.social•96 days ago

Well, whatever the tool one chooses for connecting and building communities is valid. I appreciate the allyship made convenient this way. In the same vein I don’t lose sleep if I’m not included in someone’s starter pack. It’s just a visual representation of their view of their academic community.

profrachelgan.bsky.social•96 days ago

Yeah good point! Building community is super-important!
I'm just amazed by the ongoing inability of many majority demographic people to even *see* people who are not like them; Bluesky starter packs are just a tiny symptom of that!

bmatb.expmicromech.com•96 days ago

I appreciate these insights.

I also see some packs which are odd ways to amplify - e.g. some "white knight" positioning - especially when making the starter pack does give you an added "boost".

Being aware, and intentional, on how we engage and who we follow feels like a start.

roq11.bsky.social•96 days ago

Is there actually a way to see the starter packs I‘ve been following?

cbdawson.bsky.social•96 days ago

I don’t subscribe to whole starter packs, so I usually go through one by one and check out individual feeds to see if I want to follow someone. And it’s been quite glaring how homogeneous most of the science ones are. It’s as if people aren’t even trying.

dnpfred.bsky.social•96 days ago

I think that's the way to go. Starter packs in my field just intend to help others find related/previously followed researchers.

anneb.bsky.social•96 days ago

Truth. STEM women need to be promoted also. *Woman in STEM

maikbischoff.bsky.social•96 days ago

That's why starter packs like these need more attention:
https://bsky.app/profile/rustflylab.bsky.social/post/3lbesfzyjek2t

bmatb.expmicromech.com•96 days ago

As discussed elsewhere - it's a "yes! and…" scenario - this double identity grouping is awesome, and yet it also doesn't address some of the other issues (cf Crenshaw & intersectionality)- so this warrants suggestions that folks should be intentional in how they curate their online spaces

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