In the name of diversity, Australia’s University of Sydney is offering a veterinary science scholarship partial to those with a Y chromosome … but those of the feminine gland are not happy.
The Professor Marsh Edwards AO Scholarship says, in part “preference will be given to applicants who are: from rural or regional areas, male, interested in large animal practice … [and] an Australian citizen”.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the school defends the offer as “gender balance in vet science […] has reversed in the past 20 years from male to female-dominated.”
Nevertheless, female vet students are “horrified.”
An anonymous (female) Doctor of Veterinary Medicine student said “I was really surprised. I really thought that it was a mistake – some sort of clerical error. Sexism exists in our society but I thought the uni held itself to a higher standard.”
She adds that the scholarship ignores “the causative agents of under-representation of women in STEM.”
“Female graduates of vet school are still paid less, from day one,” she said. “Professor Edwards was a lovely man who did a lot of fabulous work. This is not about hurting his reputation. …
The barriers that prevent men from entering vet science are not the same barriers that prevent women from entering every single other academic area.”
Ms Grant conceded there were women-only and indigenous-only scholarships offered at the university, “but what distinguishes those scholarships is they are in place to procure benefits for people who face structural barriers to receiving an education”.
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“To have male-only scholarships is to continue male privilege within society,” she said.
A spokeswoman for the university said it was “confident” the scholarship complied with discrimination laws.
“The inclusion of males as one of a number of preferences by the donor is to address the current under-representation of males in the student cohort,” she said.
“As such, it is consistent with the university’s support of actions to address diversity and the under-representation of males or females in certain disciplines or professions.”
The university mouthpiece noted that women could still apply for the scholarship as academic performance would be “prioritised.”
Australian government data show that a mere 19% of full-time veterinarians are men, while women make up 48%.
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