Dr Robin Nelson is a biological anthropologist and a wonderful public scientist. Speaking with NPR, she reflects on why it’s important for her to share her academic training to talk about women’s issues on Twitter. She also addresses the professional and safety issues she faces as a woman of colour.

“I rarely identify as a feminist alone, as I am ever aware of the markedness of Blackness. Thus, with every tweet I am concerned about the ramifications, the blowback from living my politics in an unbounded public space. It feels professionally and personally risky to simply speak the truth of my life. However, increasingly, I am finding that this kind of conservative self-policing is not worth it — issues around Black women’s health and safety, personal safety and policing in Black communities, issues of sexual harassment and assault more broadly have to be discussed by everyone, particularly by those who have any kind of inclination, privilege, or platform. Thus, while I am finding myself speaking out more about these issues — I know I do so with considerable risk to my career and perhaps my physical safety.”

The article is by anthropology Professor Barbara King

#anthropology #socialscience #twitter #socialmedia