“The rare female scientist was depicted as masculine, coarse, ungly, careworn, and industrious but making no significant contribution. The brightest of these women served as invisible assistants to their presumably superior male counterparts.” (Goldsmith 50).
There were very few female scientists at all, let alone famous female scientists. Few women had degrees in types of science or mathematics. This was partly because it was difficult for women to get into colleges and get a higher education in science, math, or anything else. Men did not think it was appropriate for women to be scientists, and there were even women who did not think it was appropriate for them to be scientists.
The few female scientists who were working were not considered to be feminine and were not viewed as very important. They were viewed as assistants of whatever man they were working with regardless of how much work they did. They were practically invisible if a man was involved, and either way, they weren't believed of being capable of doing such complex work. An example of this is how Marie Curie and her daughter Irène Joliot-Curie were both considered to be assistants when they won their respective Nobel Prizes while working with their husbands.
The few female scientists who were working were not considered to be feminine and were not viewed as very important. They were viewed as assistants of whatever man they were working with regardless of how much work they did. They were practically invisible if a man was involved, and either way, they weren't believed of being capable of doing such complex work. An example of this is how Marie Curie and her daughter Irène Joliot-Curie were both considered to be assistants when they won their respective Nobel Prizes while working with their husbands.
Sources for this tab:
-Goldsmith 50
-Lassieur
-Pasachoff
-AP Images
-Goldsmith 50
-Lassieur
-Pasachoff
-AP Images