As female investigators, all authors found gender to
be a particularly crucial factor in navigating daily life.
Misperceptions about foreign women and assumptions
about promiscuity can be challenging. For example, in
India, there may be little context for platonic
relationships between the sexes. Subsequently, V.L.
had to significantly adjust Western-oriented behavior
when interacting with men as eye contact or a
friendly pat on the arm could be misinterpreted.
Research-related procedures, such as interviewing a
male in a private room or using a male translator, can
be problematic and fuel rumors. Effective coping
strategies used by the authors included dressing
modestly in traditional clothes, hiring a same-gender
translator, wearing a wedding band even if
unmarried, avoiding fraternizing with male colleagues,
and generally being more conscious of interactions
with the opposite sex. Men or lesbian/gay/bisexual/
transgender investigators may encounter different
challenges depending on the cultural context, which
may require alternative approaches