Ontario Science Center Celebrates First ever International Day of Pride in STEM

Rob Windisman says that at the time he was completing his undergraduate studies in engineering sciences at the University of Toronto, his first job was not working for him.

"I went to a job interview for a large computer company. they showed me where I would sit, with whom I would work – and they seemed so straight and suburban, "he said.

It happened in the 80's. Now 53 years old and known as Drag Queen Conchita of Toronto's B-Girlz trio, Windisman says times have changed since workplaces have diversified.

However, for scientists, technology, engineering and mathematics. )

That is why the Ontario Science Center hosted an event called Thursday International Pride Day in STEM.

It included speakers and government officials who spoke about ethical issues, such as bad robots and representation in STEM fields.

The initiative was launched by a number of LGBT scientists in the UK who had been homophobic in their field, according to Jefferson Darrell, Media Relations Officer at the Ontario Science Center

. instrumental in bringing the concept to the center of science. He has been active in creating his diversity action team and his anti-racist action.

"When you look at the world from very different angles, you bring a unique perspective when you try to find solutions and solve them.

Alexander Dow, 23, Vice President of EngiQueers Canada, a non-profit organization that promotes and advocates for the inclusion of LGBT students in engineering schools, spoke to the event about his own experiences.

"I was a construction inspector," he said. "I had an altercation with an entrepreneur who refused to listen to what I said because I was somehow a homobadual."

Dow says the majority employees in the fields of engineering and STEM are usually heterobadual white men. He says that it discourages not only women but minorities to enter the field.

According to a survey conducted by the American Physical Society, a third of LGBT physicists in the United States were asked to stay in the closet. The same study found that 50% of transgender / non-gendered people were harbaded in their department.

"There are people in the profession who do not necessarily support who we are and what we are trying to do," said Dow.

Windisman says that's why he left the STEM field and pursued a career on television. At the time, he said that he did not really have a support system to guide him to school.

"I did not have any peers at the time to talk about it," he said. "One of my engineering friends, we were both gay but we never talked about it, I found out after the fact."

However, Windisman is optimistic. Seeing all the students talking to the event and how things have changed gives him hope for the future.

"It's really great," he says.

"Having an LGBTQ + presence in engineering schools across the country EngiQueers is really interesting and really important. "