Stand Up for Yourself

I was raised to stand up and speak. If someone or something upset me, I was encouraged to address the situation by myself. If I went crying to my mother or father, I was asked "did you tell him/her…?". To transition me into handling situations on my own, my parents would handle some issues on my behalf while I stood there to watch, listen, and learn.

Now that I am well into my 30s, it has been over 20 years since my parents transitioned this responsibility to me. What does this mean? If someone upsets me enough, I confront the person directly. I don't go complaining to someone else to have them handle it. 

Please people - if you are anywhere and something upsets you, talk it out with the source. Assuming most people reading this are well out of grade school, grow up, be an adult, and handle the situation yourself. Organizers of events are not babysitters or parental figures there to take care of the children that inevitably make their way into the event.

Women working in InfoSec trying to get other into the InfoSec space, be leaders, speak up, and act for yourself - at events, in the workplace, and in life. By avoiding these situations and having others deal with the situation you are not empowering women but instead making you, and women in general, look weak.