Get back in the kitchen and make me a sandwich

Tonight, I was making peanut butter cookie bars.  When my roommate asked why, I said, "Because the guys in the research lab wanted cookie bars, knew that I had tests tomorrow, knew that I like to bake when I'm stressed, and so they asked me to make peanut butter cookie bars for them."

My roommate's basically-fiance then asked me, "Are the guys in the lab chauvinists?" in a somewhat joking way.

I told him that I don't think so, and I don't.  Do they ask me to make them cookies, most likely because I'm a woman?  Yes.  Do they always want one of the few girls in charge of refreshments at lab meetings because they are women?  Probably.  But, I don't feel like they're chauvinists.  We are, frankly, the epitomes of emancipated women.  We are women in a Molecular Microbiology Research Lab.  And when I come in, finish my work, and say to the grad students, "Do you need me to do anything?" they treat me like a capable undergrad.  "Yeah, actually," they say, "could you pour me some plates?"  "We need more LB made."  "Would you watch my chromotography for a moment?"  "I actually need this strain plated."  "Could you streak out some b. subtilis?"

If they were really chauvinists, I feel like the response would be, "Nah, I'll get Cole to plate my strain."  "I'll wait for Jordan to come in and make more LB."  or even, "Don't worry about, Hannah.  James, can you come watch my chromatography?"    I have never felt that way.  So, maybe they still want the girls to make the cookies.  But, let's be honest.  Women are pretty much free to do what they want in science.

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