Author: 'Srinivasan' 'Ramanathan'
Position: Veterinary Medical Officer
Institution: USDA/ Seattle Washington
E-mail: animaldr1@yahoo.com
Submitted Date: March 09, 2006
Published Date: March 15, 2006
This comment was originally posted as a “Reader Response” on the publication date indicated above. All Reader Responses are now available as comments.

I am so happy that Prof. Lawrence shed so much light on this subject of gender and their role in Science. I do agree with most of his conclusions. However we all-every woman, every man must fight the Ghost within themselves that stifle them from doing what needs to be done to acheive the worthy goal. Though there is a great truth in that God made woman as "helpmate", HE didnot confer any subserviant or inferior role in the society in general. If I read many theologens and understand correctly, God was talking in different context-namely the fundamental unit of the society-the family. Though her origin and function traditionally restricted her to play that vital role in the family esp. with raising children and nurturing them into great adults, now she can bring all those qualities to the arena of work and esp. scientific labs and research institutions if she chooses to do so. But before she can step out and partake in that responsibility she has to overcome her own negative stifling thoughts and feelings and be self assured and confident in her own original abilities and capacities. It would be a grave sin for any of us to deny her rightful part in the science or any other human endaevor for that matter, just because she is a female!
I am a lover of Mahathma Gandhi and it is irresistable for me not to include some of his great thoughts and admonitions: He said, " There is no occasion for women to consider themselves subordinate or inferior to men. Woman is the companion of man, gifted with equal mental capacity. If by strength is meant moral power, then woman is immeasurably man's superior". He went on to say,"Woman, I hold is the personification of self sacrifice, but unfortunately today SHE doesnot realize that tremendous advantage she has over man. If nonviolence is the law of our being, the future is with women. Many leaders of social change including Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King espoused these principles to create history in modern times.