Her World

Science is generally viewed as a men’s world. Females are rarely found tinkering around the laboratory or handling mechanical devices, much less inventing one and having it patented under their name. Patents are the proof of “ownership” of an invention and only the inventor(s) can apply for a patent. In the past, women were not allowed equal rights of property ownership (patents are a form of intellectual property) and many women patented their inventions under their husband’s or father’s names. In the past, women were also prevented from receiving the higher education necessary for inventing. Today, however, hundreds of thousands of women apply for and receive a patent every year. About 20% of all inventors are currently female and that number should quickly rise to 50% over the next generation.
(more…)

Talking with a friend of mine while we were on our weekend shopping trips at a local herbarium and flower shop, we reminisced about the good times when plants and flowers were used to express good things such as love attraction. My female colleagues and I innocently responded to the flirting with blushed faces and cute smiles. I’m sorry to state a clich頢ut? Oh Lord, how I miss those good old times! (more…)

“Get over there,” my friend Nan said with a shove.

I won’t. I can’t go, I thought, then recoiled. I set down my tea, put the book back into my black tote bag and zipped it shut. She’d never, I mean why would she?” (more…)