If I never spoke up, never challenged my co-workers/managers and only did as I was told, I'm sure my experience at {company.name} would have been considerably better, but that just isn't the way I'm wired.

I now fully understand why my female co-workers often prefer to just stay quiet. After all, why would they risk their jobs to speak up about problems no one in a position of power is willing to accept the existence of?

It would be unreasonable to demand that they speak up, when doing so will all but guarantee their contract not getting renewed, being labelled as someone who's "difficult to work with" or have their career prospects damaged in some other way.

So please, the next time you hear a female co-worker speak up or complain; support her and remember that it's rarely a single occurrence, even if you never saw it happen, or only saw the one instance of it.

#corporate #tech #software #softwaredevelopment

All the shit I've had to deal with over the past year in this job has taught me one valuable lesson: How poorly the tech industry can at times treat women.

Being ignored, dismissed and spoken down to until you get upset, only to then be gaslit into thinking you're being unreasonable or overly emotional is an experience I wish we didn't have to deal with.

It's not only profoundly sexist, but it actively stifles innovation and people's willingness to speak up about problems.

#corporate #tech #software #softwaredevelopment #finance