When Will Men Stop Acting Chauvinistic?

Allow me to paint the picture for you. I am currently taking online college courses to get my Associates degree for Network and Security management. I am over half way through my courses and have a 3.92 grade point average. Based on my GPA, you know that I have received mostly A's in my classes, thus leading you to think that I could possibly know what I am doing in the IT industry.

Well, according to the actions and reactions to some of my fellow male students, this is completely untrue. I understand that in certain industries and situations, there will be men that think a woman should not be there and vice versa. However, I have never seen it stated anywhere that the IT industry should be dominated by men. Yes, there are not a lot of women in the industry for various reasons. One reason is because of the kind of classes you have to take. Not all women tend to understand complex math very well, and not too many like to tinker around with electronics or computers. But does this give men a right to talk down to a female like she doesn't have a clue about anything she has learned or done?

It seems that with each class I take, I run into at least one of these males; the ones that talk down to me and make comments to try to make me appear stupid. Well, reality set in today with the latest run in. It has occurred to me that once I get my degree, if I decide to work in the corporate world, I will probably have to face men like this daily. Why should I have to go through that? Men do not hold the patent to the IT industry. Plus, the sad thing is that the women already in the industry tend to act one of two ways. They either act like the corporate bitch or they allow everyone to treat them like the corporate rug.

So what would it take to get this gross labeling turned around? I believe it would take nearly a miracle to get through to most. But what else has to be done? Does now and Gloria Allred have to walk through the "big businesses" and wag their fingers at them in disgust? Would the media have to hold spur of the moment interviews with big companies to show what actually takes place in the IT departments and how they are virtually male dominated? Or maybe it would take a doctor to remove the heads from these men's asses so they can actually think and see clearly.

If you have read any of my past writings, I have written on things such as the downfall of the feminist movement and how being a "Nazi-feminist" ends up hurting other women and families. This is not what I am expecting to take place with this situation. However the situation is almost forcing the hand of women to act in that way. Instead of women having to react badly and come across as the corporate bitch, why don't we just take a stand and be firm, but then let it roll off our backs afterwards and press on? Maybe then men wouldn't get so offended at the reaction from us because of what they said or did to cause it. I stress the word maybe. Not all men in the IT industry are like this, but it seems there are quite a bit that are. So what to do? Quit and become a nurse? Stay at home the rest of my life? Nah! I don't quit, I just get aggravated. I will continue with classes and I will address comments as they arise. Then once I graduate, I wanted to work from home through contracts anyway, but if I have to work in the corporate world I think I will handle it just fine.

So I am hoping that if there is another woman out there in the same kind of predicament, that maybe my article will help her through the right way. And as advice, don't complain to the ones in management about comments made by male co-workers. Instead address the comments and issues directly and prove to them that you know what you are doing, if not more! Eventually things will begin to change, but it takes time. Plus, keep in mind that if a man tries to verbally put you down and make you look stupid, fire back professionally and make him look like the retard. There is nothing like the other IT "guys" laughing over the fact one of them was made to look like an idiot by someone they thought to be stupid.