(LifeSiteNews) — In an advertisement posted to its website on February 18, the University of Toronto announced that it will be hiring an assistant professor in computational biology and data science – but there are just a few stipulations.
Eligibility for the position will be limited to candidates “who identify as members of one or more federally-designated groups: women and gender minorities (those who identify as women, trans, nonbinary, Two-Spirit, and gender fluid, based on the gender identity that best describes the applicants at the current time), racialized persons/visible minorities, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities.”
This, says the U of T, is in “order to address systemic barriers and increase diversity in the Canada Research Chairs Program and meet government-mandated requirements.” Additionally, this strategic recruitment “follows the provisions for special programs as described by the Ontario Human Rights Commission.”
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The advertisement does leave a loophole, however, noting that applicants “are required to self-identify,” meaning that theoretically, a white male could identify as nonbinary, trans, or gender fluid during the application process, but change his identity after attaining tenure. If that seems like an exaggeration, note that the advertisement requests the self-identification that “best describes the applicants at the current time.”
For a salary range of $138,000 to $153,000, some poor bio student who just spent the better part of a decade in university might just be tempted.
However, even if your “self-identification” gets you in the running for the job, there’s more. The U of T informs applicants that:
Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. We seek candidates who value diversity and whose research, teaching and service bear out our commitment to equity. Candidates must also show evidence of a commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion and to the promotion of a respectful and collegial learning and working environment, as demonstrated through the application materials. Candidates are therefore also asked to submit a 1‐ to 2-page statement of contributions to equity and diversity, which might cover topics such as (but not limited to): research or teaching that incorporates a focus on underrepresented communities, the development of inclusive pedagogies, or the mentoring of students from underrepresented groups.
That, of course, is in addition to a “PhD degree in biology, biomedical sciences, computational biology, AI/machine learning, bioinformatics, or a related area to the subject matter of this search by the time of appointment and a minimum of two years of postdoctoral training in academia or industry, with a clearly demonstrated record of excellence in research and teaching.” You may not need formal documentation of your gender fluidity, but you’re going to have to be papered for everything else.
“The University strives to be an equitable and inclusive community and proactively seeks to increase diversity among its community members,” the U of T emphasized. “Our values regarding equity and diversity are linked with our unwavering commitment to excellence in the pursuit of our academic mission.” They have no evidence, and no doubt, that limiting applications to this handful of groups will most certainly result in the best academic result.
“If you’re wondering why a generation of Canadian academics has been encouraged to identify as ‘gender fluid’ or ‘non-binary’; completely meaningless terms that are basically astrological signs for upper middle class neurotics, it’s because it’s the only way they can get a job,” journalist Jonathan Kay noted on X.
He’s right. In Canada, the “long march through the institutions” wasn’t very long at all – and if you want to make it in academia, you might want to check out that list of 72 genders to see where you fit. The only one that won’t get you hired is “man.”
