ABSTRACT
While public interest in women scientists is on the rise, scholars continue to discover a leaky pipeline for women pursuing careers in the sciences. Women begin studying science at the same rates as men but are rarely found in the upper echelons of scientific research. According to feminist philosophers of science, by limiting representation in the sciences, scientific research perpetuates gendered biases. Meanwhile, some point to the masculine nature of scientific communication as contributing to this problem. This chapter briefly overviews the question of whether women’s language exists. Then it provides a history of women’s scientific communication practices, including public communication of science in the 1700–1800s, women doctors and patient communication in the late nineteenth century, and technical writing by women scientists during the World Wars. It discusses appropriations of scientific discourse during second-wave feminist movements and concludes by identifying ongoing challenges for women scientists. These include self-perception as scientists, treatment by peers, and stereotyping during the publication process.
