Tech Sexism and Spectrum Women

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I worked in the tech industry for several years, mostly in support roles. I was just as capable as my male colleagues but had the double whammy of often being the youngest on the team and the lone female. I'm not a looker nor am I a stereotypical female so rather than get sexually harassed, what I often faced was the "overprotective brother" syndrome. Males on my team tended to want to do things for me, not necessarily because I couldn't do it but because they thought they should? It was very odd and it drove me insane because I could very well do everything on my own, more efficiently, too!

Oddly enough, most of the pushback I got for being a female techie came from NON-technical females. They were the ones who tended to see me and then request a male tech. Drove me batty; you'd think that other females would be supportive of a female techie but nope!

My observations have been that it is not necessarily tech, but the particular industry. Oil, military and other primarily male areas are more sexist. Medical for instance is more female friendly and you don't see the sexism as rampant in those areas. Small companies can be worse. Larger professional companies seem to be better for women because they are more concerned about profit. They also have those human resource options.

It is disappointing at times to hear the complaints of some women when they have devoted their free time to other things while their male counterparts eat, breathe, and sleep their job. If you want to succeed you do have to be devoted to your work or expect that you will not be as valuable.

If it is possible, you should not stay or stand for such treatment. It will not change if we are forced to tolerate it. The good news is that young women are getting management jobs over their male peers so we should see sexism improve with the generations.