An Open Letter to Women in Tech

for the days when you need a quick reminder of your worth

wocintechchat.com

Listen.

I’m writing this because it needs to be written. It needs to be written because it’s 2019, and women in technical fields are still dealing with discrimination and adversity — from subtle and indirect to obvious and direct — and I’m tired of it.

Before going into web development and technical writing, I used to be a sound designer and an acoustical engineer. After awhile, I grew weary of having to prove that I was competent, while my male counterparts were given the benefit of the doubt every single time.

• I remember being told that I “don’t look like an engineer” and that I should be mindful of my attire while working.
• I remember being told that design, as opposed to engineering, was a more fitting career path for me.
• I remember having my technical drawings ripped apart while my male counterparts submitted sub-par paperwork and got rewarded with more lucrative opportunities.
• I remember my request for specific equipment being scrutinized, while the men on the team could request whatever they wanted with little explanation.
• I remember arguing about tech specs — literally arguing about graphs — until I was blue in…