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My “Click” Moment

February 7, 2020

In my previous post I mentioned how I had a ‘click moment’ in science even though I did not have one within the scope of being a feminist. To elaborate, according to the Keller reading, a ‘click moment’ refers to, in the context of the article,when  the girls who currently blog about feminism first realized they were feminist. This is then followed up by ‘going public’ , which is when this feminist identity is shared with the world via blogs or social media or any other public outlet. I myself do identify as a feminist privately, but I did not have a singular click moment and I have not had a going public moment, nor do I forsee myself having one in the future. I can hold these feminist ideals and have them be a part of my actual identity without having them be the essence of my online persona. As discussed in class, we tend to portray ourselves differently online than we are in reality. I do not use social media platforms a lot, and I don’t take any public stands on my accounts. I plan on going into healthcare, therefore I feel it is necessary for my personal platforms to remain impartial to maintain a sense of professionalism. However, this may change in the future if I feel it is appropriate and impactful to publicly take a stand on societal issues. 

To return to the idea of the ‘click moment’, I thought it would be relevant to discuss when I first discovered I was interested in science. When my school began offering science in middle school, it was something I enjoyed for the most part but nothing special. I struggled in biology in 8th grade, but I had a fantastic teacher who pushed me and really took the time to make sure I understood what was going on and how to study for her class. In high school, I really enjoyed chemistry in 10th grade, so I went on to sign up for AP biology in 11th grade. My ‘click’ moment came as a combination of this decision and the choice to take a science research course. My high school, as well as many other schools in the area, offered a 2-year science research program during which students found a professional mentor, performed original research over a summer, wrote a scientific paper, and then went on to compete at multiple science fairs throughout the state. Since I had really enjoyed my 10th grade science experience, I thought this would be a good way to continue on with something I liked. 

I had an amazing time in 11th grade. I loved my biology class and my research, and I found a mentor who nurtured my interest in science and still keeps in contact with me to this day. This entire process was my ‘click moment’. Both science and research continue to be incredibly important to me and are huge parts of my life. I am currently a biology major and I have been involved in research ever since I started in high school. Again, I do not talk much about this aspect of my personal life on social media. Those who know me are aware of my interests, however, my social media does not reflect what I dedicate my time to. Quite honestly, I very rarely post on social media, and when I do it usually consists of posts about my friends. I think it is ok to compartmentalize in this way, but if I felt I could make an impact and get more women involved in STEM without having it become a full-time job I would consider creating a separate social media account for that specific purpose.

References

Girls’ Feminist Blogging in a Postfeminist Age by Jessalynn Keller