March is Women’s History Month so we would like to celebrate by showing our appreciation for all the women in our lives, both human and non-human, periodically throughout the month. Today, I thought it might be appropriate to introduce primatology as a “feminist science” as it has been frequently dubbed throughout the years. The proportion of women studying primatology is roughly half, which at first doesn’t scream girl power, however, compared to other fields like mathematics and physics and even other biological sciences like marine mammology, 50% women is actually an impressive statistic. (If you’re curious to read more, follow this link for an article on the subject published by Linda Marie Fedigan in 1994.) That is not to say, however, that primatology is a perfectly equal-opportunity field; there are still many challenges to equality yet to be assuaged just as in any professional arena. For a more recent and in-depth look at primatology’s glass ceiling you can follow this link.
Perhaps the trend began with Dr. Louis Leakey who hired three women, Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Birute Galdikas to study wild chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans, respectively. These three women would become indisputably the most famous primatologists in the world, establish high profile conservation programs, and influence an entire generation of primatologists in their wake. It’s not too often that multiple women achieve such high esteem in a single field in a single generation. I can attest from personal experience, and I’m certain that I am not alone here, that their existence and the light they shone on the magnificence of the great apes, elicited a passion in my heart and mind as a young girl that has been driving me ever since. My passion was and still is bolstered by another woman in primatology, my mom. When I was young, she was studying anthropology in college and took a keen interest in primatology. She interned for both the Jane Goodall Institute and the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund and I tagged along with bright eyes and bushy tail. My appreciation goes out to all the women in the field who have come before me and whom I’m lucky to call my peers.
From left to right: Dian Fossey, Jane Goodall, and Birute Galdikas circa sometime in the late sixties
Look out for more Women’s History Month blog posts this month!
I very much appreciate today’s blogpost. Drs. Fossey, Goodall, Galdikas: How many minds of human primates did they open, and in doing so, how many lives of our primate cousins in the Evolutionary Tree of Life did they save. If their work is far from over (Dr. Fossey literarily gave her life for her gorilla friends), the three of them did so much to advance not only our knowledge of our cousins, but also have done so much to advance how human primates are to care for non-primate species and their natural habitats, that they may once again thrive on their planet.
Hi,Amanda, and thankyou so much for this very interesting and thought provoking blog. Yes, Jane, Dian and Birute were known as “Leakey’s Ladies” as he set them on their path, but they were champions in their respective field leading the way and setting the bar high. Their passion and commitment led so many other women -like your mum and Diana at C S N W – to follow their dreams.
Jane Goodall is visiting Sydney Australia in June and I can’t wait to see her!
I was lucky to have met both Dr. Goodall, and Dr. Birute recently. When Diane Fossey died, i went to see her grave and the gorillas of Rwanda. I’m so glad I did. Now I look forward to seeing both doctors on their turf. Thank you for the acknowledgment and recognition on all these women.
Let’s hear it for Women’s History Month! (To which I want to say, like I do with November being Native American Heritage Month and February being Black History Month —What?! Only a month?) You couldn’t have kicked off the month with anyone more inspirational than these three women. What has always fascinated me about The Trimates, is that both Jane Goodall and Birut? Galdikas are still working tirelessly in their fields today, some sixty years later! And I am certain, had Diana Fossy not given her life to her beloved gorillas, she too would be would a force today.
Jane Goodall will be 90 on April 3rd! I cannot think of anyone who has done more for great apes and their homelands, as well as the communities who live with these primates, not to mention being our Ambassador For Peace and someone who works to foster hope in all of us. Especially younger generations. And people close to home like your mother. And you, Amanda.
This month, thanks to today’s post, I will celebrate these great women and their accomplishments. But I will also celebrate all of you amazing women that have nurtured my dear friends at CSNW throughout the years. Thank you for all you have done and for all you will do for our beloved primates.
Eeesh, too many typos above! You gotta love AI thinking ahead of your typing! The question mark after Birute’s name was an accent over the ‘e’ when I typed it. And while I actually typed ‘Dian’ Fossey, spell check replaced it with our very own ‘Diana’ because I type that spelling more often. 🙂 (I’ll take full credit for missing the ‘e’ in Fossey!)
You still wrote very eloquently, Kathleen, regardless! My typing errors are whoppers, but then I do have the start of cataracts!
I too love this post and the recognition of these fabulous women. Jane Goodall has been my personal hero for over 50 years now. At one point I had a pup named Louis (Louie, LouLou) and litter mate kittens named Fifi & Frodo ?
Thank you for this lovely tribute ?
If you enlarge this pic of these 3 magnificent women, I would buy one. Might make a fabulous fundraiser….
If you enlarge this picture of these three amazing women, I would be interested in purchasing it. It could potentially make a great fundraiser.