UK academia is toxic, & I realised this when I was sacked after whistleblowing about unethical use of African samples at the Sanger institute. When I got blackballed across Cambridge - when the Regius at Cambridge blocked my appointment, despite support from the head of dept.
Being an outspoken brown female early career scientist makes you a target and a 'troublemaker'. UK academia is small, and it works through old boys clubs. It's vindictive. They never forgive women who challenge them - because they believe they should be able to act with impunity.
Once you see it, you can't unsee it, and it changes the way you see the world. You see the injustices everywhere- you see that even the systems that are supposed to right them (the legal/judicial systems) are equally flawed & rigged against the least privileged & minorities.
Over time it became clear to me that I was seeing & possibly experiencing a very different world compared to many around me- the discord was dystopian, and very hard to live with. Even people who I respected had normalised an environment that was unsafe for me & my family.
I stayed and fought for a long long time. But in the end, I had to make the best decision for my family - my child. Whose life had become diminished because of the anti-science agenda of govt, and scientists & media who normalised marginalisation of the clinically vulnerable.
I wanted better for her. I wanted her to have a life where she could do whatever she dreamed of. I wanted her to dance, to sing, to feel joy every day - with other children. I wanted her to have a childhood. And grow up in a safe environment.
It wasn't easy. I love the UK- I think of it as home. Although I'm an immigrant, it's the first place that ever felt like home. I learned so much, and bought my first house there. I got married there. I had my daughter there. I have family there. I lived there for 13 years
The grief of watching it change was immense. It wasn't just government- I felt there was also societal change, which was even harder to live with. The normalisation of abelism, racism the lack of concern for others. The endangerment of the less privileged by the most privileged.
The lack of solidarity and allyship, even from people who consider themselves allies. The lack of understanding of intersectional power structures, and how they may mean completely different experiences for different people.
Having a platform here has been great- it's the only place I've really felt I've had a voice. I've been targeted relentlessly, and while many people find the level of harassment shocking - honestly, this is just what many of us experience in academia but more out in the open
Normally, it's threatening conversations behind closed doors, marginalisation in collaborations, being excluded/not promoted. At least here it's out there for everyone to see - the misogyny, the racism, and just the hate against those who challenge mostly privileged white men
I've had more solidarity here, and developed more rewarding relationships than I have in probably a lifetime. It's one of the things that gave me the strength to take the huge step we did, moving to Australia.
@dgurdasani1 Australia not the best place for you the !globalcitizen.org/en/content/aus…
@dgurdasani1 So sorry to read of the pain and harassment you’ve endured and hope life in Australia brings you and your family peace, freedom and optimism
@dgurdasani1 Not just colour, money and wealth trumps all. Sad to see the UK slide. “Politics is the art of getting people to vote against their interests” - the people could see it till way too late