In Her Words: Sylvia Earle on Women in Science | National Geographic

I have parents who made me believe that

I have parents who made me believe that it was okay to do things no matter what

it was okay to do things no matter what

it was okay to do things no matter what I had an older brother and a younger

I had an older brother and a younger

I had an older brother and a younger brother and I was one of the boys if you

brother and I was one of the boys if you

brother and I was one of the boys if you will tomboy if you will although my

will tomboy if you will although my

will tomboy if you will although my mother did say when I was a teenager

mother did say when I was a teenager

mother did say when I was a teenager that I could look forward to a career

that I could look forward to a career

that I could look forward to a career perhaps as a teacher as a nurse

perhaps as a teacher as a nurse

perhaps as a teacher as a nurse something really exciting I could be an

something really exciting I could be an

something really exciting I could be an airline stewardess ba not a pilot not a

airline stewardess ba not a pilot not a

airline stewardess ba not a pilot not a doctor you know not as Superintendent of

doctor you know not as Superintendent of

doctor you know not as Superintendent of Schools it was just the way things were

Schools it was just the way things were

Schools it was just the way things were why shouldn’t I be able to use

why shouldn’t I be able to use

why shouldn’t I be able to use capabilities that I had to do what my

capabilities that I had to do what my

capabilities that I had to do what my brothers could do or what

brothers could do or what

brothers could do or what Cousteau did along the way I found that

Cousteau did along the way I found that

Cousteau did along the way I found that many people did think it was not just

many people did think it was not just

many people did think it was not just unusual but preposterous when I was

unusual but preposterous when I was

unusual but preposterous when I was selected to be an Aquanaut for a mission

selected to be an Aquanaut for a mission

selected to be an Aquanaut for a mission in 1970 it was still considered to be

in 1970 it was still considered to be

in 1970 it was still considered to be unusual enough for women to want to be

unusual enough for women to want to be

unusual enough for women to want to be underwater explorers the application for

underwater explorers the application for

underwater explorers the application for being a part of that didn’t even bother

being a part of that didn’t even bother

being a part of that didn’t even bother to say that you had to be a man

to say that you had to be a man

to say that you had to be a man unlike the astronaut program that was

unlike the astronaut program that was

unlike the astronaut program that was going on at that time it was clear this

going on at that time it was clear this

going on at that time it was clear this was for men only but the head of the

was for men only but the head of the

was for men only but the head of the program for the tektite project that had

program for the tektite project that had

program for the tektite project that had men and women living underwater for two

men and women living underwater for two

men and women living underwater for two weeks at a time

weeks at a time

weeks at a time it was philosophical about it more than

it was philosophical about it more than

it was philosophical about it more than that he was practical he said well half

that he was practical he said well half

that he was practical he said well half the fish are female I guess we could put

the fish are female I guess we could put

the fish are female I guess we could put up with a few women the the Navy

up with a few women the the Navy

up with a few women the the Navy personnel involved were not quite so

personnel involved were not quite so

personnel involved were not quite so enthusiastic about it there is no

enthusiastic about it there is no

enthusiastic about it there is no question about it that there’s still a

question about it that there’s still a

question about it that there’s still a gender bias with compensation for equal

gender bias with compensation for equal

gender bias with compensation for equal performance for selection to be in

performance for selection to be in

performance for selection to be in charge of various projects it’s just a

charge of various projects it’s just a

charge of various projects it’s just a part of our culture but have to say that

part of our culture but have to say that

part of our culture but have to say that it is exciting to see women CEOs I

it is exciting to see women CEOs I

it is exciting to see women CEOs I personally have served on the boards of

personally have served on the boards of

personally have served on the boards of major corporations but always in the

major corporations but always in the

major corporations but always in the minority always in the minority and I

minority always in the minority and I

minority always in the minority and I there is this

there is this

there is this this attitude sometimes that you’re

this attitude sometimes that you’re

this attitude sometimes that you’re there because you’re a woman you’re the

there because you’re a woman you’re the

there because you’re a woman you’re the token woman today young women wanting to

token woman today young women wanting to

token woman today young women wanting to be oceanographers find that the doors

be oceanographers find that the doors

be oceanographers find that the doors are open you can go aboard ships you can

are open you can go aboard ships you can

are open you can go aboard ships you can be chief scientists on expeditions at

be chief scientists on expeditions at

be chief scientists on expeditions at sea kids they’re all explorers little

sea kids they’re all explorers little

sea kids they’re all explorers little girls little boys doesn’t matter if

girls little boys doesn’t matter if

girls little boys doesn’t matter if they’re just curious we shape categories

they’re just curious we shape categories

they’re just curious we shape categories that boys can do this girls shouldn’t be

that boys can do this girls shouldn’t be

that boys can do this girls shouldn’t be doing this or sometimes you have the joy

doing this or sometimes you have the joy

doing this or sometimes you have the joy of just saying I don’t care what people

of just saying I don’t care what people

of just saying I don’t care what people think I’m gonna go this way because I

think I’m gonna go this way because I

think I’m gonna go this way because I really want to know what’s out there

really want to know what’s out there

really want to know what’s out there those are the explorers who emerge

those are the explorers who emerge

those are the explorers who emerge irrespective of what society thinks