In spatele dezechilibrului sexual in stiinte

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Portretul lui Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz in Mexic, 1000 de pesos (1985), fragment de bancnota, filozof … [+], compozitor si poet mexican.

In urma cu doar un an, James Damore, inginerul software care a scris infamul memoriu Google despre femei care sustinea ca numarul redus de femei aflate in functii tehnice din cadrul companiei a fost rezultatul diferentelor biologice in loc de discriminare. De la publicarea acestui memoriu, multe persoane au avut multe de spus pe aceasta tema, cele mai multe polarizand invariabil pe doua aspecte: in primul rand, teza originala a sustinut ca barbatii sunt mai potriviti psihologic pentru a lucra in tehnologie decat femeile si, in al doilea rand, ca acest lucru discutia a fost impiedicata de tragerea sa in efortul tot mai mare de diversitate a tuturor, cu exceptia diversitatii de opinii.Damore are o perspectiva interesanta de a arunca in discutia despre dezechilibrul sexual in tehnologie, chiar daca nu esti de acord cu el. Dar cu siguranta nu este primul care abordeaza inegalitatea de sex in stiinte sau tehnologie.

Aceasta onoare se intoarce de cateva sute de ani unei calugarite mexicane cu numele de Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz (cca. 1648-1695) care s-a confruntat cu cultura prin care femeile se intamplau violent descurajate sa intre in aceste sau in orice campuri publice. Dornica sa studieze stiintele, Sor Juana s-a rugat cu mama ei sa ii permita sa mearga la universitatea din Mexico City, unde se putea imbraca in haine de barbati si sa participe la universitate. Mama ei n-a auzit de asta. Mantuirea lui Sor Juana de la casatorie si intrarea in lumea stiintelor, literaturii si filozofiei a fost prin manastirea Sfanta Paula din Sfantul Ieronim din orasul Mexic, unde, la varsta de 21 de ani, s-a inscris si avea sa ramana pentru urmatorii 25 de ani ai ei viata.

Sor Juana a excelat la observatia si analiza fenomenelor si stiintei naturale si a fost hotarata sa-si extinda abilitatile intelectuale la studiul teologiei, „regina stiintelor”. Credinta lui Sor Juana in capacitatea femeilor de a concura cu barbatii i-a permis intelectului sa prospere in mijlocul unei biblioteci de peste 14.000 de carti, dar a fost si o sursa de mare suferinta in viata personala. Credinta in propria sa inteligenta a contestat normele sociale ale vremii, care detineau o neincredere generala in capacitatile intelectuale ale femeilor. Cu toate acestea, ea a trait cu un conflict intern persistent, ca urmare a acestei deconectari intre propriile abilitati de ganditoare si scriitoare si rolul pe care cultura l-a jucat pentru femei. Sor Juana si-a imbratisat inclinatia personala si motivatia din copilarie sa invete si sa studieze, precum si tensiunea sociala care a rezultat. In ciuda acestui,

After having written a criticism of a sermon by the Portuguese Jesuit priest Antonio de Vieyra in 1690, Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz’ entered into the public debate about the place of the female sex within intellectual life. The Bishop of Puebla, Manuel Fernandez (1637-1699), was so impressed with Sor Juana’s letter that he not only had it printed, but he responded to Sor Juana praising her work. Still he made the suggestion that she limit herself to theological discussions and avoid secular matters, signing the letter “Sor Filotea de la Cruz” (Sister Filotea). Sor Juana’s lengthy reply is one of the most important feminist pieces of writing which is a defense of women’s rights to study secular and religious texts employing a scientific line of debate.

Sor Juana’s “Reply to Sor Filotea” (1691) addresses her intellect while also explaining that these endowments are a gift from God and that she is fulfilling her duty to God by using them. Intellectual growth through reason was a personal experiment for Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz in this response, writing in a tone which seems self-effacing on the surface, but in reality is a larger critique of Sor Filotea and the patriarchal structure in which “she” exists: “With so much greater reason, Must not I too be silent? Not like the Saint, out of humility, but because in reality I know nothing I can say that is worthy of you.” Sor Juana points to the importance of erudition while flaunting her intellectual capabilities. She demonstrates how the kitchen is not only the domestic space of the female at the time, but is also the scientific laboratory of women and the space of their intellectual growth:

I see that an egg becomes solid and fries in lard or oil, while, on the other hand, it dissolves in syrup. I see that in order to keep sugar in a liquid state it suffices to add to it a very small part of water mixed with quince or another sour fruit. I see that an egg’s yoke and white have such opposite characteristics that when one or the other of them is mixed with sugar each one separately works well, but when they are combined they do not. Because I don’t want to bore you with which cold facts I’m mentioning them only to give you a full account of my nature—and I think this probably has made you laugh.

Nevertheless, my Lady, what can we women possibly know other than kitchen philosophies? Lupercio Leonardo said it quite well: one can philosophize well while preparing dinner. When I see these trivialities I often say this: if Aristotle had cooked stews he would have written a lot more.

Arguing for reason, Sor Juana compares the scientific query into the chemistry of the kitchen to the larger search for scientific truths, inverting the ostensible powerlessness of the domestic sphere by suggesting that the kitchen augments, not diminishes, intellectual production. For daring to stand up to the misogynist policies of the Church, Sor Juana was officially censured, no longer allowed to publish her work. It has been assumed that the Church also asked that she give away her books, but the inventory of her possessions lists books, writings and artworks. Sor Juana had a long and successful career as an essayist, playwright, and poet and she was able to contest the patriarchy of her time through promoting the core values of the Enlightenment— justice and egalitarianism.

Perhaps it is time that Damore’s ideas be allowed, at the very least to be heard and considered, on the question of sex-inequality today if only to engage in scientific inquiry together?

In spatele dezechilibrului sexual in stiinte

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