Review T h e Au t obiography of a T r a n sgender Scie nti st b e n ba rre s REVIEW BY ANJANA NAIR
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n unstoppable force of nature, untouched and unscathed by prejudices, only moving higher and forward – this was Ben Barres. A highly influential neurobiologist, a promising advocate for women in science, Barres lived a rather unusual life. To the members of Stanford University School of Medicine, he was a transgender scientist. To the rest of the world, a hero who became a pioneer in the field of gender activism and empowerment for science. Published posthumously, Barres’ memoir, The Autobiography of a Transgender Scientist narrates his remarkable life story. Born Barbara Barres in 1954 in New Jersey, Barres was a science-loving child, who chased every academic opportunity. The brightest of all, they said. But from an early age, Barres was never comfortable being treated as a woman. “Internally I felt strongly that I was a boy,” he writes. Very soon during his academic years as Barbara, Barres recognised that gender too could become a reason to limit someone’s opportunity. He narrates an incident in which he solved a difficult maths problem. His professor said that he must have had a “boyfriend,” who must have helped him. This was because the professor thought that women were never capable of solving any problem alone. The accusation of cheating made Barres angry. Sexism was rampant at school. As Barres was exposed to it, he felt a need to do something about it. Barres transitioned completely in 1997 and began living as a man. He observed the idiosyncrasies existing in the society: pervasive sexism, gender bias, everything that contributed to believing women are lesser than men in society. Although his talent and self-confidence always propelled him personally, he knew he had to instil lasting change. Thus, an advocate was born. Barres got into a top-notch medical and science train-
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ing program. He did his undergraduate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a medical degree from Dartmouth College, a doctorate from Harvard University, and a postdoctoral position from University College London. All through his academic life, he advocated gender equality, volunteered for countless selection committees, editorial boards, and grant-reviewing panels. He spoke his mind on every occasion and even got combative if needed. His effect was impressive and inspiring! Despite feeling like a man, Barres understood what it meant to be living like a woman. Notably for me, Barres also dedicates an entire section of his autobiography to detailing what a true egalitarian future in science could look like. His sensitivity towards the need for diversity in science extends beyond the challenges women and transgender people face today. He calls for greater efforts to bring down barriers faced by ethnic minorities, as well as low-income and first-generation college students. Following his scientific journey – from finding a way to culture and maintain CNS neurons, to describing the role of glial cells in synapse formation – demonstrates that Barres’ scientific endeavours were entwined with his advocacy. The two were not, and did not need to be, separate. Perhaps even more beautiful is the way Barres mentions the contribution of his trainees and interns he has ever worked with. He knew each one of them personally. He strongly encouraged independent thought and allowed his trainees to advance in their own lines of inquiry. He writes, “I did not realize when I started my own lab at Stanford that this was going to be, by far, the most rewarding part of the job… it is even more exhilarating to watch young people develop into independent scientists and to play
some role in guiding that process.” The final section of the book is personal and poignant; it gives a detailed insight into the author’s character. This section includes letters written to family, friends, and colleagues explaining his intention to transition. He writes there were moments when he considered killing himself, a situation that is alarmingly common among people with gender dysphoria. He felt he was faced with the choice of either his career or his personal happiness. Despite his hesitation to transition, he received tremendous support, and his career continued to flourish. He went on to become the first transgender scientist to be elected at the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in 2013. The way he describes how his ability to cry reduced after he transitioned was both funny and sensitive. Not only has Barres served as a role model and mentor for all the LGBTQ scientists existing today, but he also fiercely championed women in science. He deserves all respect, and as one of his obituaries reads, he left nothing but “a towering legacy of goodness” in his public and private life. Barres is as open in his memoir as he was in his real life. The book teaches simple yet important lessons. He stresses the basics – “Be yourself, be happy, do not ever apologize for who you are. Be respectful but be honest and express your opinion even (or especially) if it’s not popular”. Science is hard, and we, as people in society, have a responsibility to do it well. The Autobiography of a Transgender Scientist shows the right way. ■
