Monique Frize: Catalyst, Activist, Advocate

Tabaret Magazine has published a shiny new cover story featuring Monique Frize, author of The Bold and the Brave. The article, titled Debunking Myths and Legends: Women in Science and Engineering, was written by Susan Lightstone. It discusses some of the hurdles that Frize has come across in her chosen career, and the iniquity that persists for women who follow in her footsteps.

Part of the problem is that people think that gender is no longer a barrier in today’s modern world. Frize disagrees.

“Women’s full and equal participation in society is in no way guaranteed”, says Frize, who looks to the past to prove this point. In her book, she provides numerous examples of women throughout history who, despite societal constraints and prohibitions, developed their passion for and expertise in science. Yet they remain largely unknown—their work either trivialized or adopted by men as their own.

The modern-day myth that gender stereotypes have disappeared is, in fact, untrue says Frize. If society is truly committed to “women’s full and equal participation,” we must, like her, keep “debunking myths and legends.”

On the bright side, Frize presents some of the ways that she and others are working to make the fields of science and engineering a friendlier place for women.

To find out more, read the complete article: http://www.tabaret.uottawa.ca/article_e_439.html

To learn about The Bold and the Brave, visit the University of Ottawa Press’ website. http://www.press.uottawa.ca/book/683