Building a queer- and trans-inclusive microbiology conference

Abstract

Microbiology conferences can be powerful places to build collaborations and exchange ideas, but for queer and transgender (trans) scientists, they can also become sources of alienation and isolation. Many conference organizers would like to create welcoming and inclusive events but feel ill-equipped to make this vision a reality, and a historical lack of representation of queer and trans folks in microbiology means we rarely occupy these key leadership roles ourselves. Looking more broadly, queer and trans scientists are systematically marginalized across scientific fields, leading to disparities in career outcomes, professional networks, and opportunities, as well as the loss of unique scientific perspectives at all levels. For queer and trans folks with multiple, intersecting, marginalized identities, these barriers often become even more severe. Here, we draw from our experiences as early-career microbiologists to provide concrete, practical advice to help conference organizers across research communities design inclusive, safe, and welcoming conferences, where queer and trans scientists can flourish.

Virtual conferences improve inclusion in science

“…For participants from similar backgrounds, organizers and participants have also created affinity groups, which can increase social support in the sciences for those from underrepresented groups and historically marginalized identities including BIPOC, persons with disabilities, and women (Estien et al 2021). Organizers should also work toward an inclusive environment for non-binary and transgender participants (see inclusivity checklist in Gregor et al [2023]).…”

“…Over time, due to greater availability and uptake of vaccines, a reduction in the number of reported COVID-19 cases, and relaxed regulations for in-person gatherings, some of those societies abandoned virtual options, despite their demonstrated improvements in the inclusion of and contributions from systemically marginalized groups. Among their benefits, virtual conferences (i) welcome larger numbers of transgender and non-binary participants (Johnson 2022) and may help mitigate compartmentalizing or censoring their identities in cis-and heteronormative professional spaces (Gregor et al 2023); (ii) increase attendance of participants with dependents (Johnson 2022)-particularly women, who often bear greater dependent-related responsibilities (Skiles et al 2022); (iii) increase attendance of participants with mobility limitations, neurodivergence, extreme social anxiety, and other health issues, by reducing travel need and exposure to overstimulating environments (Johnson 2022;Mellifont 2022); and (iv) mitigate logistical issues and financial costs associated with international travel (Johnson 2022), including for participants from low-and middle-income countries. These benefits to inclusion cannot be disregarded as they help until root causes can be addressed and given that the loss of talent from underrepresented and systemically excluded groups still plagues science-including ecology-despite decades of efforts to improve representation therein (Asai 2020).…”

Outlining the Hidden Curriculum: Perspectives on Successfully Navigating Scientific Conferences

“…Doing so will result in receiving the name badge and other conference-related materials. Review the information on the badge, which usually includes name, institution, position, and more recently, pronouns. − If any of the information is incorrect, ask the conference organizers if they can reprint the badge. Many conferences have this service available on-site.…”

‘Queer in Microbiology’: a Microbiology Society members’ endeavour for creating a safe and inclusive environment for LGBTQIA+ microbiologists

“…Such exposure led to opportunities to enrol in international initiatives for systematically promoting and connecting LGBTQIA+ microbiologists. The first of these initiatives, led by an international group of LGBTQIA+ scientists, was published as a perspective piece detailing a comprehensive set of guidelines to organize safer and more inclusive scientific conferences for LGBTQIA+ scientists [37].…”

“…This effort involved a cross-institutional collaboration LGBTQIA+ microbiologists and led to a compendium of actions that organizers can readily incorporate to turn scientific meetings into safer, fairer and more welcoming experiences for queer-and trans-people. Actions such as the generation of spaces for underrepresented groups within the LGBTQIA+ community and the need to adopt an intersectional view were also addressed since these are pivotal for a fundamental restructuring of scientific conferences [37].…”