Being the Only Woman in a Room Full of Assertive and Passionate Men

Tell us about yourself!

Hi, I’m Brit. I’m a 30-something African American Information Technology professional from Houston, TX with over 10 years of experience in the industry.

Why did you choose this field in the first place?

I have always been fascinated with computers. As a child, I used to tinker with broken devices my grandma brought home from dumpster diving as a worker for Enron and other businesses in the Houston area. It gave me an appreciation for technology after seeing how easily people discarded perfectly useful hardware.

What tech are you most excited/passionate about right now and why?

I am most passionate about decentralization. I remember when you could access content based on your interest and not just a popular platform ran by big tech for click farming. I’m excited to see new communities built for enthusiasts where the ownership is retained by the creator.

What tech are you most worried about right now and why?

Big tech and social media. It is designed to psychologically alter our brains to keep us on the apps. The content is so heavily filtered that it is hard to distinguish what is real anymore. This causes fear of technology because of the misuse by large corporations instead of giving access to the people.

What are your hobbies and interests outside of tech?

I love Pilates, music, traveling and trying new foods.

Let's talk about breaking the glass ceiling. What were the biggest challenges you faced as a woman in tech, and how did you deal with them?

As a woman in Tech, it has been difficult to balance a level of assertiveness with agreeableness. When working on teams, the goal is always to deliver the best possible product for the client/customer. You might bring some great ideas to the table that might be vetoed by other teammates. Often, I am the only woman in a room full of assertive and passionate men so it is very challenging to learn when to champion my ideas and when it’s best to agree. Because women are seen as more agreeable, I had to learn when to stand up for my ideas when I felt they would benefit my team.

Any questionable misogynistic story/situation you faced/handled, and you want to share with the HackerNoon Fam?

I found myself in a questionable situation with a male team lead because I was too agreeable to stand up for myself. I fall on the more agreeable spectrum of temperament so as I stated before, it is a challenge for me to assert myself. A male team lead exploited this quality of mine and some of the other women who were his subordinates because we were too intimidated to stand up to him. He would take our ideas and put his name on them. We all came together and confronted him for his behavior.

What was the biggest setback/failure that you faced, and how did you manage it?

Failing the CEH. Going to try again……

What's your biggest achievement that you're really proud of?

Getting back into the industry after having a child0

In your opinion, why do we see this huge gender gap in the tech industry, and how can we reduce it?

Actually, give women equal work and not just the remedial work no one wants to do. Allow them to learn and advance just like their male counterparts.

Who is your tech idol? Why?

Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan Mary Jackson, Marian Croak, Melba Ray Mouton, Gladys West

Do you have any advice for aspiring girls who want to join the field?

Don’t overthink it. It’s just a computer. You bleed every month and live, you can write that script and hack that system, sis!