The proposed panel was on postcolonial identity and diaspora communities in Pakistan, Germany, and Japan. Tres chic! However…
“The program committee for the next annual meeting for the American Historical Association liked the idea, too. There was just one little problem: The scholars involved are all men. ‘Since the AHA has a standing commitment to gender diversity on panels, the Program Committee has decided to require you to find a female participant, perhaps to serve as chair or a second commentator for your session,’ said the notification the panel organizer received. Unless an acceptable additional participant is added, ‘we will be forced to reject your panel.’
“The response stunned Manan Ahmed, the organizer, who is preparing for his dissertation defense at the University of Chicago. After venting via e-mail with colleagues and joking about proposing that the panelists all appear in drag…”