I was recently perusing my copy of the August 2015 issue of Physics Today, looking in particular at the feature articles. To my surprise, I read the following as the opening of “The new wave of pilot-wave theory” by John Bush:
“If particle physics is the dazzling crown prince of science, fluid mechanics is the cantankerous queen mother: While her loyal subjects flatter her as being rich, mature, and insightful, many consider her to be démodé, uninteresting, and difficult. In her youth, she was more attractive.”
I trust that Bush was intending to be charismatic and appeal to his male readers. However, I was disappointed that he did not think through the sexist stereotypes that this writing reinforces. Invoking a metaphor that casts women as the “cantankerous queens” of science does not help us to be treated with respect in the workplace.
