Academia is the Ivory Tower That’s Crumbling

I recently read Dr. Sarah Coxon’s book “The Way of the Priestess”, where she describes academia as an “ivory tower” driven by elitism, competition and hierarchy. And let me tell you, this hit me like a lightning bolt.

Academia is a system built by men, for men. It’s a tower of ego, of men who judge from their high perch, looking down on anyone who doesn’t fit their mould. And let’s be real, WOMEN ARE ALWAYS JUDGED THE HARDEST.

Why do we have to work a million times harder to get our points across? Why, when a woman presents her opinion in a meeting, is it dismissed with a casual “What do you know? You’re just a girl”? It’s time to put an end to this ridiculous double standard.

Next time someone tries to shut you down in a meeting, when they tell you your ideas aren’t valid, or your research isn’t enough—RECLAIM your power and ROAR! If you challenge them, they’ll stutter. They’ll get rattled because, deep down, they know they can’t justify their dismissal of you.

When a man is challenged, it’s “character building,” but when a woman speaks up with a strong opinion, she’s branded as emotional or “on her period.” Please. If these so-called “intellectuals” are so smart, a little passion from a woman shouldn’t rattle them. Let’s be clear: This isn’t about being emotional; it’s about being powerful.

Did you know that, according to a study by the “Women in Pharmaceutical Sciences Community,” male scientists on average publish 13 papers, while women only publish 9? And on top of that, men receive 30% more citations than women.

Why are we still being silenced? Why are we still being pushed to the margins, told to play by a system that wasn’t designed for us? It’s time for every woman in academia to rise up and ROAR against this outdated, toxic system.

What would happen if women were allowed to lead from within, guided by their intuition and their gut feeling, instead of constantly battling a broken system? The answer is simple: There would be a better environment for everyone to thrive in. It’s time for us to reclaim the space we deserve and shake up this ivory tower from the inside out.

P.S. Keep the words flowing and the coffee brewing - fuel the huntress! ☕