Meena

I recently got chartered as a civil engineer at the Institute of Civil Engineering. I won’t get into the backward industry that is engineering but having continued that battle and receiving a qualification that I worked so hard for, I received an overwhelming amount of sexism at the institute itself.

On the day, despite being dressed in smart attire (and a name badge, with my title on it!), I was ignored for a survey for engineers, I was constantly asked if I was my colleague’s girlfriend. This was after I’d been carrying my certification. The institute claims to support women but in my ten years of being a member, I’ve felt actively excluded by a group that is predominantly made up of white, middle aged men.