A few years ago, I presented a talk in which I shared my experiences as a female architect/academic. I told some stories of how my professional contributions are often dismissed and how oftentimes male colleagues would approach me claiming to “know” more. They would deliver this in ways that appear helpful and supportive—yet, it was almost always condescending. It took me many years to realise this. I had a few male mentors who truly respected what I had to offer, but this was the exception and not the norm. Because of this situation, it takes us many years to find our voices. We internalise the belief that we are ‘less’ and we accept the erasure that we are subjected to. And some day we become aware that it is not us—it is them, and a social condition that prefers to have us operate from the sidelines. How dare we aspire to more! How dare we believe that we have meaningful ideas to offer! Yet, we do…
Industry
