My guest post on Scientific American.
Cheerleader for science: A chat with Mireya Mayor, author of Pink Boots and the Machete
Today is the publication day of Pink Boots and the Machete, book by Mireya Mayor, physical anthropologist, National Geographic Explorer, and former NFL Cheerleader. For this occasion, Scientific American invited me to conduct a brief interview with the author.
Learn how she discovered the world’s smallest primate in existence in Madagascar, and what she thinks about including everyday citizens in science; and read her bold response to this question:
Darlene: Let’s talk about the objectification of women. Some folks have visceral objections to cheerleaders as science advocates, despite the cheerleaders’ credentials (science/engineering degrees), despite their very real connection to the estimated 3-4 million cheerleaders in the U.S. You’ve endured the ogling on-field and on-set. In your book, you recall the typical scene where you “shower beneath the waterfall.” The title of your new series “Wild Nights with Mireya Mayor” is indeed provocative. What do you say to critics who say this type of objectification does more harm than good?
Read the full interview here.
