Reader response: Understanding and addressing gender equity for women in neurology

Women neurologists in the United States are indebted to Dr. Julie Silver for her work¹ on their behalf. This landmark study methodically identifies—and, more importantly, quantifies—the barriers and prejudices still faced by women in the field. The illustration of lost retirement income as a consequence of earlier career pay disparities is especially compelling. Other early-career inequities have downstream effects as well. The article by Dr. Silver shows how much progress remains to be made in equitable representation and involvement of women in all spheres of academic activity. I run a private Facebook group for female headache clinicians, and I can attest that problems remain at all levels. Women who experience and report sexual harassment must navigate poorly organized and often ineffective and hostile institutional processes; women are still told that men need higher salaries because of their family obligations, and pregnant doctors still face resentment from their colleagues. The problems are not all in the past. Sexism is alive and well in academic medicine and much remains to be done. Thank you, Dr. Silver, for drawing attention to this situation.