A.

I am a director at a fortune 100 company. I am forty-something and have been in technology for most of my career. I have dealt with sexism at all levels, but have usually let it go because I was embarrassed to bring it up to my male leadership. I felt like it would weaken my effectiveness to my team and to my leadership. Recently, a new VP was hired as my counter part to run the engineering side of a product I have been developing with my team for the last six months. In the last month, he has talked down to me, interrupted me in meetings, and yesterday he met with my team to a meeting without my knowledge. When I confronted him about it he asked if I was saying he had to ask for permission to talk to people. I stated that meeting with my team without my knowledge and intentionally leaving me out was unacceptable. He continued to speak to me in a bullish manner and commented on how tightly wound I seemed, even though I was being clear and unemotional. This can’t continue and I have been advised to take it to the top, which is most likely going to ruin my career there. I spent all morning reading articles on sexism.

I am normally easy going but I feel like I have no choice but to stand up and that I would have no self-respect if I let it go. I think about my mother, my grandmother and all of the women who have stood up so that women like me would have better opportunities. I think about how I owe it to them and to future generations of girls and women to continue the fight for our equality in the workplace.

This tough truth has never hit me so hard as it has today—the sad reality of sexism in the workplace and tech. I have mixed emotions—fear and embarrassment that I have to bring it up to my male leadership—and at the same time the overwhelming responsibility I feel as a leader regardless of my sex. Wish me luck.