Chapter 21: E.Z.

Summary

• The Chemistry Department celebrates Elizabeth's return with a party and a new lab coat with her initials, "E.Z.," on it.
• Donatti, from the department, hints at his knowledge of Elizabeth's continued research into abiogenesis, surprising her.
• Elizabeth finds herself questioned by Dr. Donatti about the status of her paper, which she says will take six more weeks of undisturbed work.
• Dr. Donatti belittles Elizabeth by comparing her desired focus to that of a male colleague, Calvin, and points out the collaborative nature of their department.
• He then assigns her menial tasks, such as typing papers and making coffee, instead of chemistry work.
• Elizabeth discovers she has been demoted to a lab tech position and pushes back, but Donatti dismisses her concerns, subtly harassing her with the nickname "Luscious."
• When she protests the salary of a lab tech being insufficient for her and her child, Donatti mockingly suggests she attend stenography school.
• Distraught, Elizabeth barricades herself in the bathroom stall, where she encounters Miss Frask, who is dealing with her own career frustrations.
• Frask reveals her lack of career advancement and the misogynistic behavior of her new young male supervisor and reflects on the sexist attitudes at the institute.
• Elizabeth and Miss Frask discuss their respective situations, and Elizabeth learns that others believe she returned to Hastings because a wealthy investor is funding her research.
• Frustrated and angry, Elizabeth confronts Miss Frask, challenging her complicity in workplace sexism; the argument becomes heated.
• In a moment of vulnerability, both women reveal they were sexually violated by figures of authority, leading to their stunted professional progress.