Not until did I enter the master program that I could understand the meaning of gender discrimination deeply. My master supervisor always used to say that women are inferior to men, and it is the reason that we do not allow women to be president of Iran. He always said that most top female students could not compete with their male counterparts. His unshakable and defunct beliefs about male superiority were evident in his actions and decisions. He paid many compliments to male students. He abetted male students to publish more ISI papers. Their names appeared in many ISI papers, even if they did not work on the projects. Sometimes they also made false data to publish prestigious papers. It was a privilege given to male students and their wives. Female students wearing Chador (the complete form of hijab) were also supported to publish more papers, but what they could accomplish was not comparable with what was achieved by male students. Having many ISI papers, male students could become a university professor. Male students were also supported to enter the best research groups outside Iran, and my master supervisor paid their travel and initial expenses. I remember I applied many times to foreign universities, and every time my master supervisor wrote me recommendation letters. But he never introduced me to a research group outside Iran, something that he did for male students even if he did not directly supervise them. I felt bitterly disappointed and entered the Ph.D. program in Iran. My Ph.D. supervisor did not believe in ISI papers. He always said that ISI papers would not be an answer to real scientific problems and publishing many papers we cannot make real scientific contributions. Research expenses were another reason that my supervisor was against publishing ISI papers. He did not defray for the research expenses, and he did not allow us to collaborate with other supervisors to pay for our research.
I finally got admitted to a foreign university amidst my Ph.D. studies in Iran. I went to a developed country where all research expenses were paid, and money was not tight. But I was surprised by what I heard from a female supervisor in that developed country. She told me that she suffers from gender discrimination and male professors in the university are not interested in collaborating with her to increase her publications. Disrespect by a male labmate was another incidence out of my surprise. Due to some issues, I decided to come back to Iran to finish my Ph.D. and then leave Iran again later. At this time, troubles flared up with my parsimonious Ph.D. supervisor putting me under too much pressure. I went to my male chauvinist master supervisor, who was a religious person, to sue about my Ph.D. supervisor.
I thought that he might help me. My master supervisor told me that I have to imagine that my father is an addict torturing me, and I cannot throw him away. He told me that my Ph.D. supervisor is like that imaginary father and has the right to do anything, and I cannot complain and have to acquiesce. Later I asked my father what you would expect me to do with you if you were an addict torturing me? Set me on fire, my father replied. I went to the psychiatrist of the university because I could not come to terms with the fiery temper, complacent attitude, and temerity of my supervisor. I told the psychiatrist of the university about how intolerable gender discrimination is, but he answered that men also suffer from gender discrimination, and I should not think about it. I told the psychiatrist that my supervisor traduced me. He said to me that my supervisor is famous for his abnormal behavior, and many people come to him and complain about my supervisor. He asked me to try to establish a better relationship with my supervisor because it is the only thing that can mitigate the situation. I had no choice but to be stoical about this situation.
I had a hard time defending my Ph.D. During my Ph.D. I tried to publish an educational book with the assistance of one of my teachers. This book was rejected several times for publication because my supervisor was not satisfied with me. Having graduated from P.h.D, I tried a lot to publish my book. I saw before how it was easy for my male master labmates to publish a book because they had support from my supervisor. Actually, they took advantage of their gender. My teacher is a friend with one of those boys, so he talked to him to appeal for aid. Because this former male labmate needs to improve his resume, we might be able to get this book published. However, this man did nothing about this book. He receives support to bring his name in my book because he is a man considered as a breadwinner and entitled to be a future university professor. What I am eager to know is that can this story happen in other places in the world that supervisors try to prove men are smarter than women by publishing many ISI papers for them even by making false data? Can supervisors skip paying their students?
By Mahtab
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