LGBTQ+ Science Stories: Olivia Goldman

LGBTQ+ Science Stories: Olivia Goldman

Science may be driven by curiosity and innovation, but many LGBTQ+ scientists still face outdated attitudes and discrimination simply for living authentically. Many choose to remain ‘in the closet’ for fear of being isolated by colleagues or overlooked for promotion, simply because of their sexuality or personal identity. 

To find out what daily life is really like for LGBTQ+ scientists in 2025, we spoke to Olivia Goldman, a postdoc at the University of California, Berkeley, to ask about her experiences of being ‘out and proud’ in the lab. She told us about the challenges she faces on a daily basis, how she has overcome discrimination, and why being able to fully express herself in the lab is vital for the advancement of science. She also shares her hopes for the future of diversity and inclusion in STEM, and offers advice for young LGBTQ+ people who are hoping to pursue a career in science.

Olivia Goldman is a Schmidt Science post-doctoral fellow in the SENse Lab at University of California, Berkeley / HHMI, advised by Dr. Diana Bautista. She studies neuroimmune interactions that occur during virus-evoked headache. She completed her PhD at The Rockefeller University, advised by Dr. Leslie Vosshall, on chemosensation in mosquitoes, the deadliest animal to humans. She is co-founder of Cientifico Latino, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization supporting underrepresented groups in STEM. She earned her Bachelor's from Barnard College of Columbia University. She is passionate about making science accessible to anyone curious.

Olivia uses she/her pronouns and identifies as queer and pansexual.

Have you always been open about your sexuality in the workplace?

I am actively practicing being more open about my sexuality and queer identity in the workplace. I am a pansexual cis-woman and I can easily be mistaken as straight. Particularly for junior scientists, professional scientific spaces can be very uncomfortable and come with a lot of fear of judgment. In the past, I utilized the privilege that my queerness was concealable. I was open about my identity only in circles and contexts that felt safe and comfortable. As I continue along my scientific career, I am more confident in sharing this side of myself whenever the topic comes up or feels relevant. I see more clearly how when people open up about themselves, this paves the road for others to feel comfortable in the same space. My confidence in this isn’t stable day-to-day, but it has grown significantly over time.

Have you ever faced discrimination as an LGBTQ+ person in science? If so, how did it affect you?

I am fortunate not to have faced discrimination in any significant professional sense as a queer person in science. I do however think scientists and institutions should be mindful of how they enforce adherence to a conservative culture. I have two small stories about this…

At a graduate student retreat, I brought LED fingerlights for me and my cohort, as well as plenty to share with other students. We had a wonderful moment bonding with these until we heard a senior graduate student had called us “obnoxious”. In response, after the retreat, we changed our group chat name to “Obnoxious Second Years”. This comment may have been intended to quell our behavior, but we embraced and leaned into feeling a little rebellious instead.

I oscillate between feeling more comfortable in feminine or masculine gender presentation. As experienced by both women and queer people in science, an individual’s intelligence can be judged for presenting as too feminine. This was anxiety-inducing for me as an early scientist. In more vulnerable situations like interviews, sometimes I still present as more masculine than I might normally because that’s how I feel most secure. An upside of this is that during graduate school interviews, it was a great reason to expand my closet and explore more androgynous or masculine presentation in spaces where I was expected to be more feminine.

These are small examples that I think relate to “queer resilience”. I often see in my queer colleagues the ability to turn a negative judgment into a celebration of their queerness. Sometimes being queer in professional spaces is finding the bravery to present and behave as who you are.

Why is it important for LGBTQ+ scientists to be able to express their full selves in the lab? 

In many ways, your lab is your second home, and labmates are like having several roommates. When unable to “let your hair down” (unable to be yourself, always maintaining a performance), you’ll carry a lot of stress that will affect your work performance and well-being. 

Scientists who feel they belong are more prepared and empowered to face the seemingly impossible task of making a scientific discovery. Imposter syndrome has prevented many students and scientists from asking a great question or expressing a brilliant idea. Scientists and trainees need to feel accepted to thrive in their work.

Acceptance and self-acceptance also yield creativity. I don’t think it’s appreciated enough how important creativity is for science. Like statistics, cell culture, or being up-to-date with current scientific literature, creativity is a skill. bell hooks wrote, being queer is having a “self that is at odds with everything around it and has to invent and create and find a place to speak and to thrive and to live.” Due to life experience, queer folks are often inherently creative.

LGBTQ+ scientists expressing their full selves is not only beneficial for their health and professional success but also for the entire scientific enterprise.

Pictured: Olivia in the lab pippeting, dressed as a Hydra, the aquatic model organism

Have you had LGBTQ+ role models during your career? If so, how have they influenced you?

My peers have been my most influential LGBTQ+ role models. Seeing scientists resist norms to express themselves is moving for me, even when it happens in silly ways. We are better off as a scientific community when a post-doc can cover their lab with homegrown flowers or a graduate student comes to a professional social event in a fur coat and acrylic nails without feeling judged or that they would be less respected as a scientist.

What advice would you give to a young LGBTQ+ person who is considering a career in STEM?

Confidence and skill come with time and experience. Put yourself in environments where you can most comfortably grow with as little resistance and unnecessary challenges as possible. Gravitate towards peers, mentors, labs, and institutions that make you feel good. Avoid the ones that make you feel bad. You might not need the approval of the people you think you do in order to truly thrive. 

Pictured: Olivia with friends from graduate school

How could academic and scientific institutions better support LGBTQ+ students and professionals?

Collaboration, diversity of perspectives, and expertise yield greater potential for scientific progress. Academic and scientific institutions must practice a culture of inclusivity, tolerance, acceptance, and diversity of people of all identities and backgrounds. They should listen when their commitment to these principles is questioned, and do whatever they can to actively incorporate these principles into policies beyond words. Academic and scientific institutions should foster connection and a culture with less judgment, both socially and intellectually. Not only is this important for scientists’ well-being and inclusivity, it also is imperative for fostering scientific talent and discovery.

Connect with Olivia Goldman:

• Website: https://www.oliviagoldman.net/

• LinkedIn: Olivia Goldman PhD

• X: @oliwiagoldman

• Bluesky: @oliviagoldman.net

We publish this article in memory of Cal Shearer: https://calshearer.muchloved.com/

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