A Woman can do it

A year ago, today, June 20, my father and I had our last long, meaningful conversation. A conversation I will never forget.

I was at a work conference in Utah, being the boss bitch that I am, when a man made the comment “oh you actually are smart, not just the pretty salesgirl.” I laughed and responded, “I am actually our Solutions Engineer.” To which you would have thought I had shot his kid. The comments kept coming. They were sexist, they were rude, I was tired of hearing them. I had more sexist comment spewed at me in six hours than in my entire career in DC. However, I was there for work and was not going to be unprofessional. I stepped outside to call my father.

He declined my call. THIS NEVER HAPPENS. I was pissed. My father has been the one person who ALWAYS answers my call. I was already upset, and this was my icing on the cake. I immediately texted him “Why no love for you daughter?” 10 minutes later we were talking.

I explained what was happening in Utah and I told him I wanted to punch these men in the face. After he let me vent and share in my miseries, he talked me down. He told me not to let those assholes bother me because I was a strong independent woman who can do it all. I probably intimidated them. He knew exactly what to say. He told me how proud he was of me for my career and the person I have become. After about 20 minutes of me walking around this school, on the phone with my father, I was finally able to hold my head high and not care what those men said.

My father has always told me I could be anything, he taught me how to be strong and face the world around me. He taught me to treat the janitor the same way I would treat the CEO. As a female, he taught me never to back down on what I felt was right and use my voice to better the world. I learned how to be a true professional and how to be comfortable in my own skin because of my dad. I will never stop pursuing my goals and showing my doubters they are wrong.