Berhe, A.A., Barnes, R.T., Hastings, M.G. et al. Scientists from historically excluded groups face a hostile obstacle course. Nat. Geosci. 15, 2–4 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-021-00868-0

"We suggest that an unequal, vicious or hostile obstacle course (Fig. 1) better reflects the experiences of minoritized and marginalized scholars in the geosciences. A growing body of research documents hostile work environments for many scholars, including but not limited to: BIPOC, white women, those who identify as transgender, genderqueer or non-conforming, religious minorities, academics with disabilities, and foreign-born or international scholars. The obstacle course metaphor allows us to recognize that the cultural and structural barriers to participation are not experienced equally; everyone is on their own unique track. Unlike a leaking pipe, the obstacles are not the inevitable consequence of poorly maintained infrastructure; instead, they are barriers that have often been deliberately — or at the very least unconsciously — put in place and sustained. The obstacles selectively slow down scholars from historically excluded groups, increasing the time and energy necessary to progress, and meaning that they have to be that much better than their peers to be viewed as performing ‘equally’."