Wearing All Our Hats at Once

Abstract

Women in academia often wear many hats, mainly those of teacher, academic, and caretaker. Feminist standpoint theory—the use of women's personal stories as a lens to view unique circumstances of their social group—has guided the authors' use of personal accounts to highlight the challenges faced by women wearing these hats during the pandemic. The authors' stories detail struggles in the female experience, creating the learning environment favored during in-person instruction, navigating unprecedented changes to the doctorate program, and addressing feelings of inadequacy as caretakers. The authors hope that women can see themselves in these stories and find a sense of empowerment as part of this unique social group. The authors' stories should open conversations about supporting women as they teach, research, and create a work-life balance during an unprecedented time.