Diversity at Evolution
In service to the goals of our three sponsoring societies (ASN, SSB, and SSE), the conference organizers and the Joint Meeting Committee are committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all of our attendees. This commitment starts with our choice of the conference location; our existing meeting policies specify that we will not schedule conferences in states with laws that discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression, at the time we sign contracts with the convention center and hotels. During the conference we also support various social and educational activities that focus on inclusivity and networking.
Check out our Safe Evolution page for initiatives to promote a safe, inclusive, and professional environment at our meetings.
Check out our Safe Evolution page for initiatives to promote a safe, inclusive, and professional environment at our meetings.
Evolution 2022 and Ohio's new anti-LGBTQ+ health care law
After Evolution 2022 had been contracted in Cleveland, Ohio passed a new law allowing doctors to deny LGBTQ+ individuals health care on “moral grounds”. The societies unequivocally oppose this discriminatory policy and have taken the following actions in response:
- This letter was sent to Ohio Governor DeWine and all state representatives and senators
- Ohio will not be considered as a possible host for future Evolution meetings that don't have signed contracts, in line with existing meeting policies (in particular, Ohio has been added to California's travel ban, Assembly Bill 1887, that we use to guide decision-making for future meetings)
- We are exploring activities and outreach opportunities to add to Evolution 2022 in support of LGBTQ+ rights and EDI issues more broadly
- Evolution 2022 will be our first hybrid meeting and an option for virtual-only participation will be available
- We are consulting with legal experts as to how we may modify future meeting contracts to give us broader options to respond to similar situations that might arise going forward (e.g., the ability to cancel without financial penalty)
Feb. 2022 update
The societies recognize that some community members will be unable to attend Evolution 2022 in person, whether by choice or due to financial or policy constraints. We recognize that potential attendees are faced with a difficult choice, and offer responses to several commonly asked questions below regarding LGBTQ+ support by the tri-societies, the Evolution organizers, and in the broader Cleveland area.
1. If I choose not to attend Evolution 2022 in person, will I be able to attend virtually?
Yes. Evolution 2022 will be the first hybrid Evolution meeting, with two virtual conference days preceding the in-person meeting. All in-person symposia and plenaries will be streamed and available to virtual meeting attendees. Those presenting regular contributed talks will also be encouraged to upload a video of their presentation. These, and the live-streamed plenaries and symposia, will also be available for on-demand viewing for 6 months following the meeting.
2. I identify as LGBTQ+. If I require emergency health care during Evolution 2022, will I be able to receive it?
While we cannot offer medical advice, we can look to the support for the LGBTQ+ community by hospital systems in the local area. The major hospital systems in Cleveland reflect the political leanings of their location. There are three major hospital systems in Cleveland: Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, and MetroHealth. In the Human Rights Campaign’s 2020 Health Equality Index, Cleveland Clinic scored 95, and MetroHealth scored 100–a perfect score. University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center is unscored, but their patient, visitation, and employment policies are LGBTQ+ inclusive, and they offer an LGBTQ+ and Gender Care Services program. Cleveland Clinic and MetroHealth also both offer dedicated facilities for LGBTQ+ care (Cleveland Clinic Center for LGBTQ+ Care, MetroHealth LGBTQI+ Pride Network). While we cannot be sure, we expect this dedicated attention to policies and care for the LGBTQ+ community indicates that denial of care would be extremely unlikely.
3. In what ways does Evolution 2022 plan to support the tri-society LGBTQ+ community, and the broader LGBTQ+ community in Ohio?
While 1 in 5 millennials identify as LGBTQ+, LGBTQ+ individuals in STEM are more likely to experience harassment, discrimination, and devaluation, and are also more likely to leave academia (Cech and Waidzunas 2021). Large-scale action is needed to combat these systemic problems, and our societies are supporting LGBTQ+ members through network- and community-building. We highlight three examples here. First, and for the first time this year, we will offer LGBTQ+ networking lunches for small groups of LGBTQ+ scientists across all career stages. Second, we are hosting “Evolution’s Rainbow”, an evening public-facing lecture on the diversity of sexual systems and gender in the natural world. (Additional diversity initiatives are listed below.) Third, we will provide opportunities to the Evolution community to raise money for the LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland, an outstanding local organization that supports the LGBTQ+ through programming, events, resources, research partnerships, and education. In this way, the broader Evolution 2022 community can contribute to the health, safety, and well-being of the Cleveland LGBTQ+ community.
4. What will the tri-societies do in the future about this important issue?
This law is discriminatory, and we support the rights of all of our membership to have equal access to healthcare. We are contracted to return to Ohio for Evolution 2026; discussions regarding 2026 will take place after the 2022 meeting. The community will be informed of progress on this important issue. Right now, legal experts are advising the tri-societies on the possibility of modifying future meeting contracts so that we have several response options when similar situations arise in the future (e.g., the ability to cancel without financial penalty).
1. If I choose not to attend Evolution 2022 in person, will I be able to attend virtually?
Yes. Evolution 2022 will be the first hybrid Evolution meeting, with two virtual conference days preceding the in-person meeting. All in-person symposia and plenaries will be streamed and available to virtual meeting attendees. Those presenting regular contributed talks will also be encouraged to upload a video of their presentation. These, and the live-streamed plenaries and symposia, will also be available for on-demand viewing for 6 months following the meeting.
2. I identify as LGBTQ+. If I require emergency health care during Evolution 2022, will I be able to receive it?
While we cannot offer medical advice, we can look to the support for the LGBTQ+ community by hospital systems in the local area. The major hospital systems in Cleveland reflect the political leanings of their location. There are three major hospital systems in Cleveland: Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, and MetroHealth. In the Human Rights Campaign’s 2020 Health Equality Index, Cleveland Clinic scored 95, and MetroHealth scored 100–a perfect score. University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center is unscored, but their patient, visitation, and employment policies are LGBTQ+ inclusive, and they offer an LGBTQ+ and Gender Care Services program. Cleveland Clinic and MetroHealth also both offer dedicated facilities for LGBTQ+ care (Cleveland Clinic Center for LGBTQ+ Care, MetroHealth LGBTQI+ Pride Network). While we cannot be sure, we expect this dedicated attention to policies and care for the LGBTQ+ community indicates that denial of care would be extremely unlikely.
3. In what ways does Evolution 2022 plan to support the tri-society LGBTQ+ community, and the broader LGBTQ+ community in Ohio?
While 1 in 5 millennials identify as LGBTQ+, LGBTQ+ individuals in STEM are more likely to experience harassment, discrimination, and devaluation, and are also more likely to leave academia (Cech and Waidzunas 2021). Large-scale action is needed to combat these systemic problems, and our societies are supporting LGBTQ+ members through network- and community-building. We highlight three examples here. First, and for the first time this year, we will offer LGBTQ+ networking lunches for small groups of LGBTQ+ scientists across all career stages. Second, we are hosting “Evolution’s Rainbow”, an evening public-facing lecture on the diversity of sexual systems and gender in the natural world. (Additional diversity initiatives are listed below.) Third, we will provide opportunities to the Evolution community to raise money for the LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland, an outstanding local organization that supports the LGBTQ+ through programming, events, resources, research partnerships, and education. In this way, the broader Evolution 2022 community can contribute to the health, safety, and well-being of the Cleveland LGBTQ+ community.
4. What will the tri-societies do in the future about this important issue?
This law is discriminatory, and we support the rights of all of our membership to have equal access to healthcare. We are contracted to return to Ohio for Evolution 2026; discussions regarding 2026 will take place after the 2022 meeting. The community will be informed of progress on this important issue. Right now, legal experts are advising the tri-societies on the possibility of modifying future meeting contracts so that we have several response options when similar situations arise in the future (e.g., the ability to cancel without financial penalty).
Evolution 2022 diversity initiatives
During the meeting we are hosting many events that focus on inclusivity and networking. Details about these can be found on our Workshops and Special Events page.
If you have ideas for events going forward, or ways to improve previous ones, please don't hesitate to contact us.
- Undergraduate diversity at Evolution (UDE) Career Development workshop
- SSE Workshop - Improving workplace climate: empowering individuals to become active bystanders
- John Edmonstone Coffee Social for BIPOC Scientists
- LGBTQ+ networking lunch
- 'Flying solo' coffee social
- ASN Grad social
- Tri-Society Diversity symposium
- Evolutionary Biologists with Disabilities Mixer
- International Mixer
- Undergraduate Diversity at Evolution social
- Primarily Undergraduate Institutions mixer
- Faculty-Student and Postdoc Networking Lunches
- Evolution's Rainbow - An exciting evening featuring talks from experts on the diversity of sex, sexuality, and gender that exist in nature, followed by panel discussion on how this diversity fits into a broader evolutionary context and what we as a community can do to support and retain our LGBTQ+ students and colleagues.
- Latines in Evolution Mixer
If you have ideas for events going forward, or ways to improve previous ones, please don't hesitate to contact us.
Story Collider
This is a biennial event at the meetings and it will happen next as part of Evolution 2023. You can listen to recordings of our two past Story Collider events here:
2019 Story Collider
2021 Story Collider
2019 Story Collider
2021 Story Collider