Introduction
The role of women in many professional areas has been restricted in the past due to sexism and the imposition of gender roles in most societies. Today, women represent a significant share of scientists in all areas of studies. The similarities and differences in the experiences of female scientists of the past and present are prominent in the films Agora (2009) and Proof (2005). The present paper will seek to compare the position of female scientists in antiquity to that of contemporary female researchers, particularly with regards to the share of women in the field and the barriers they experience in their career.
Female Scientists in the Past
Gender inequality and patriarchy were the vital forces that shaped women’s life and career in the past. Up until the late 20th century, women were expected to stay at home and care for their husbands and children. Few educational and learning opportunities were available to women, which prevented them from competing with men in most professional areas. Women’s political opinions were often disregarded, as men perceived that they were not qualified enough to participate in politics.
These limitations prevented women from studying science, thus affecting the number of female scientists. When discussing female scientists of antiquity, Schley (2017) only lists five women who had a well-documented impact on science at the time. For instance, in 2700 B.C., Merit Ptah became the first female physician, which also made her the first recorded female scientist.
Apart from the lack of well-established education for girls and young women, the low number of female scientists in the past could also be contributed to other reasons. Due to being perceived as inferior to men, women were often ignored, and their scientific achievements were disregarded. Moreover, as a result of the opposition between science and religion, women who studied and practiced science were often accused of witchcraft and sentenced to death (Elmer, 2013). Thus, not only did women have fewer chances of receiving proper education in science compared to men, but they were also less likely to be credited with their accomplishments.
Agora
Agora is a 2009 film directed by Alejandro Amenábar that focuses on the story of an Egyptian mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher Hypatia. The film is set in Alexandria, which was an Egyptian province famous for its rich cultural and intellectual environments. Hypatia is the only female scientist that is portrayed in the film. She is a strong female scientist with a true passion for knowledge, who faces challenges and barriers such as social norms, sexualization, and gender inequality.
The film recognizes that for women, devoting their life to science was perceived as rebelling against the social norms. At the beginning of the film, when Hypatia’s father discusses her scientific accomplishments with other men, they make references to marriage and children (Amenábar, 2009).
Even Orestes, who is one of Hypatia’s students, does not understand her willingness to pursue knowledge instead of following the more traditional path of life: “Why do you torment yourself with that, Lady?” (Amenábar, 2009). These instances show that the engagement of women in science was largely frowned upon by men in the past, and thus the social pressure prevented women from entering the scientific field.
Hypatia is often sexualized by her students and other men in the film. In one of the first scenes of the movie, Orestes is openly courting her, whereas Davus tries to sexually assault after Christian fighters destroy the library (Amenábar, 2009). The widespread reduction of women to sexual objects also leads to her opinions being ignored by political and religious authorities. When Hypatia offers advice on resolving the religious conflict in the city, one of the men replies with, “Why should this assembly accept the council of a woman?” (Amenábar, 2009).
Respecting women and their voices was widely perceived to be undesirable and even shameful. Later in the film, the leader of Christians shames Orestes by saying, “I know someone in Alexandria who admire and even trust the word of a woman” (Amenábar, 2009). These two instances show that women in science were often silenced, and thus it was difficult for them to achieve recognition.
Female Scientists in the Present
In today’s world, it is much easier for women to obtain education and build a successful career in science. Women are admitted to colleges at roughly the same rates as men, and their voices in science and politics are no longer ignored. As a result, the share of female scientists has also grown in the past decades. The UNESCO Institute of Statistics (UIS, 2018) reports that the overall percentage of female scientists is 28.8%, although there are some variations across regions.
For example, the highest share of women in scientific professions is evident in Central Asia (48.1%), whereas South and West Asia have a much lower number of female scientists (18.5%) (UIS, 2018). Based on this data, it can be concluded that the position of women in science today is much more favorable than that in the past.
Nevertheless, there are still certain issues that affect female scientists’ careers. Despite the success of gender equality movements, women are still widely expected to have children and care for them. This contributes to work-life imbalance, causing women to leave their professions (Madipelli, Sarma, & Chinnappaiah, 2013). Achievement and pay gaps are also common in many professional fields, which means that female scientists may still struggle to achieve recognition and compensation comparable to those of their male colleagues.
Proof
The representation of female scientists in Proof, directed by John Madden, has several important differences and similarities with the portrayal of Hypatia and her struggles in Agora. Firstly, the comparison of the two films clearly shows how the position of women has improved since the 4th century. Whereas Hypatia often seeks recognition from Aspacius and Orestes for her efforts and theories, in Proof, Catherine’s father consults with her on his theories (Madden, 2005). Secondly, whereas Hypatia was open about her knowledge and aimed to share it with the world, Catherine is reluctant to do the same even after she admits that she was the one writing in the notebook (Madden, 2005).
Thirdly, in Agora, most men try to prevent Hypatia from studying science, arguing that she should give up her career and live a regular life instead. However, in Proof, Hal persuades her to continue working: “Don’t you owe it to yourself, at least?” (Madden, 2005). One common theme in both films is women’s struggle for knowledge. Hypatia is desperate to explain the wanders of the Earth and the Sun, whereas Catherine is determined to find proof of the theory that she and her father studied. Both pictures portray the main characters as persistent, independent, and resourceful, contributing to a positive representation of female scientists.
Conclusion
Overall, the difference in the number of female scientists in the past and today can be attributed to the sociopolitical factors affecting women. Despite significant advances in gender equality, contemporary female scientists still face certain challenges and barriers, such as gender gaps and work-life imbalance. The gap between female scientists of the past and present can be observed by comparing the films Agora and Proof. Although they have a lot of differences that reflect the improved position of female scientists now, there are also some similarities in the way they portray the two central characters and their scientific work.
References
Amenábar, A. (Director). (2009). Agora. Web.
Elmer, P. (2013). Science and witchcraft. In B. P. Levack (Ed.), The Oxford handbook of witchcraft in Early Modern Europe and colonial America (pp. 132-147). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
Madden, J. (Director). (2005). Proof. Web.
Madipelli, S., Sarma, V. V., & Chinnappaiah, Y. (2013). Factors causing work life imbalance among working women-a study on school teachers. Indian Journal of Industrial Relations, 48(4), 621-633.
Schley, L. (2017). Women scientists of antiquity. Discover. Web.
UNESCO Institute of Statistics (UIS). (2018). Women in science. Web.