A recent article in Chemistry World has explored the historical context of the wide-scale exclusion of women from Antarctic research until the late 20th century. One of the issues identified was the narrative of masculine heroism created by the Heroic Age of exploration in Antarctica. This narrative inhibited the potential for women to be included in Antarctic research although the more modern framing of Antarctica as an arena of scientific endeavour is more helpful. The first woman to be permitted to work in the Antarctic was Maria Klenova, part of a Soviet expedition in 1956. The gradual acceptance of the key contributions made by women in progressing Antarctic research is detailed.
The article also mentions the Women in Antarctic Research Wikibomb event held at the SCAR Open Science conference in Kuala Lumpur in 2016 as an example of projects that expand the image of Antarctic research.
Morgan Seag, “The trouble with heroism”, Chemistry World, 3rd September 2017.