(This series of profiles from the California Academy of Sciences New Science exhibit tells first-person stories of LGBTQ+ women and gender minorities of color working in STEMM—science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine—professions.)
It didn’t matter that I was Dr. Moore, conducted research worldwide, served on scientific executive boards—no, it just mattered that I was Black, woman, other. And that broke my heart. I decided then to become a true advocate for myself and for other historically excluded folx.
Growing up in the Southern Bible Belt, being gay wasn’t an option—it was a disease, a sin, a one-way ticket to hell. I was made to believe anything other than heterosexuality was wrong, and if I didn’t comply, hell would be my home.
As I grew in my educational journey in the STEMM field, I became hyper visible as the only Black person in the room, and I knew my sexual identity had no choice but to be straight. I was struggling simply to exist as a Black woman in marine science, a double minority. Exploring my sexual identity was definitely out of the question! So, I continued fighting to make spaces for women of color and Black people in my field.
One day I realized that no matter how hard I fought, the table was never meant for me. The thought of being a triple minority in STEMM caused me anxiety, but seeing that nothing I did in these rooms was making it better for me, I decided I should at least be my full self!
https://www.calacademy.org/exhibits/new-science-exhibit
Published on October 21, 2021
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