I find it strange how different my life is as a female engineer here compared to the US. I come from a conservative country. Gender roles are tight, but somehow, engineering never felt like a boy’s club to us. Sure, there are bad apples and skeptics everywhere, but I never had to perform or prove myself. My knowledge always spoke louder than any bias.

Meanwhile, in the US or at least online the female engineer / programmer narrative feels like it’s always on replay. Women share their stories and the same chorus follows: performance, “DEI hires,” quota filler. It’s not the women I find strange, it’s that their existence is framed as political like their careers need context. Every few months, a company posts a photo of their female staff to announce their inclusivity milestone.

It’s wild considering women were literally some of the first programmers. No hashtags, no photo ops. Just doing the work.

Not sure what that says, honestly.