My research partner and I are both women in STEM and we've been collaborating for two years, but I'm starting to realize that in meetings with our (male) supervisor, I consistently defer to her even when I disagree, and I think it's because I've internalized that there can only be 'one' competent woman in the room. We've never talked about gender dynamics or how we navigate them together.
More people experience this than they realize.
Two people facing the same systemic barriers are unconsciously enacting those barriers against each other.
“Where Are You with Adolescent identity formation?”
If this sounds familiar, the Library can help you find the bigger picture.