Working in "male" role - people's assumptions

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Respect!

I could have written that exact same post....

I work in IT, and look young. I have to deal with bad attitudes from men who think I'm just "looking after" the server room. They will often barge in without even asking. I find myself thinking "They wouldn't have said\done that if I was a man".....

I have a degree in computer science, received many awards and scholarships during my uni years.

Usually once I get talking to people, it becomes obvious that I know what I'm talking about, but its ALWAYS a fight. I get paid a lot, as the job has a lot of responsibility, do people really think I'd be in the IT manager position if I didn't know what I was doing?

I was looking for someone to look after IT at my workplace while I was on holidays, and I had some arrogant guy come in, who obviously thought he was so much more experienced than me. He very kindly offered to help me with some of the projects I had going. Not in a nice way, but a condescending way. Suffice to say, he didn't get a look in on the job.


Its very difficult being a girl in IT.......

When I was 22, I went to Fire School to be a firefighter. I lasted a month. I could run up stairs, haul equipment and carry a 100lb dummy down a flight of stairs. I could handle the turnout gear, bust open doors, operate the jaws of life and maneuver a ladder. I'm very confident that I could've handled myself well in a live fire and even grappled without fear off the ladder truck. But I couldn't do all that and fight against my own classmates for respect. It'd be one thing if we all gave each other a hard time but they bonded and I was singled out. It was too much BS so I left. I regret it but I think I'd make the same choice today. You read firefighter forums and there's always some stupid jerk going on about how she'd love to be a firefighter but she knows women don't belong in the profession so she's happy being a firefighter's girlfriend. Idiots.

I think that part of the problem with IT and comp sci is that people are competitive any way. I saw the same attitude "I am the best" toward the males. They all (or most of them) think they are going to make another facebook.

Me? Science and engineering is pretty male-dominant to begin with! Especially if it's one of the "hard-core" sciences. I'm pretty confident in my own skin, I mean, there were times where I was the only girl in my summer camp engineering and computer science programs. I am also one of only two girls in my physics class right now and the guys respect us both and my physics teacher praised us for taking physics with her and how she was always one of the only girls... and she has met a lot of male friends, although, not yet a husband to everyone's surprise because she is kind of picky.

She doesn't even have a boyfriend and those few girls that were with her in college... Well... of course they are all getting or have been married but she? She is young... she prefers to take her time and she is pretty content with where she is... She never guessed how fun teaching would be even after she lost her job due to the recession.

My mother was the only female in her computer science classes and that was when it was emerging... She took marketing and minored in computer science... She was one of the first women interested in computer science and she really encourages me. She hates those girls who just marry out of high school, especially if they are really, really bright women that have a lot of potential. Part of it is because of her experiences and she always tells me how smart I am and that I am worth more than just an MRS degree... I tell her that knowing me, I'll probably want a PHD...

I really do not care what people think about me... If they think I am there solely to better my chances in meeting a guy, they are wrong... It is because I have an honest passion and once they get to know me and find out more about me, they'll see...

Well, look at it this way; those women who married early, and had those good intelligent genes to pass on, did us all a favor. Otherwise we are vastly outnumbered by the idiots in this world. The longer the "bright" people take to breed, the greater the numbers of not so bright people being born.

That's true, and I mean... a mother with plenty of wisdom and knowledge is good for kids to teach... but... well... I don't know, my mother... she really wants me to do something more with my life... It's like... she believes in me... that I am truly brilliant and I can be successful and I am worth more than a life of that. I also have intellegent genes to pass on and she wants me to do that too... but...

Sort of like, she thinks that I should be a woman with "one foot in the kitchen and one foot out into the work world" or something...

It's a tough call, I know. Maybe do both? Lots of people are starting families later in life, after launching a career.

That is what I was thinking... Though... I don't even have a boyfriend so who am I kidding! Of course I won't get married out of high school!

You are quite young yet! There is plenty of time; don't worry!