'The meaner I am, the more coworkers respect me': Ladies in Tech Talk About What the Word 'Assertive' Means as a Woman in the Workplace

Welcome back ladies of the internet. Let's get down to the nitty gritty about some modern societal disappointments that affect women. When we think of what it means to be 'manly' some stereotypical words come to mind, such as assertive, smart, strong, courage, or leadership. And when men exhibit these qualities they're respected and revered for them. 

Now let's think about women; what are some stereotypical qualities we associate with women? Soft, gentle, nice, passive, agreeable, quiet. So, what happens when a woman acts in the opposite way? What happens when a woman is being assertive or strong, or independent? Well, that's just the beginning of the issue. 

Unfortunately when women act with 'manly' qualities they're often labeled as being a b*tch, mean, or unfriendly. But when men have those qualities, they're 'the man.' It's true that life isn't fair, all we can do is do our best to balance out the patriarchy, and separate harmful and bigoted thoughts regarding the genders.