Don’t believe women in science face huge inequality? Here’s the proof

Scientists read and react to peer reviewed research, making the pages of leading scientific journals like The Lancet a good venue to fight for gender equity, says Jessica Wade

Rajesh Jantilal/AFP/Getty Images

By Jessica Wade

What’s the best way to tackle the equality and inclusivity problems in science? In a special publication of The Lancet, researchers are doing it with data. It couldn’t be more timely: from the gender pay gap to #MeToo, women are making their voices heard. The special issue is intersectional – it doesn’t only focus on gender, but considers its interplay with other protected characteristics.

As a woman in physics, I am all too familiar with the challenges of working …