Dear Lab Partner
Dear lab partner,
I was fine doing the bulk of the lab report so you could go to your midterm, what I do not approve of was you suggesting I ask an upperclassman for the rest of the answers while you gestured to my chest. To that I say: screw you. Yes, I probably could use my feminine charm to finish the lab. But what does it say about you that you would rather whore your lab partner out than suffer a bad grade? I am worth more than a grade. That’s not to say I won’t use being girl at some point, I am sure I will. But I rather whore MYSELF out. I am not your engineering hooker, and I will not use people just so we can get an A.
There’s a problem in the engineering world that isn’t talked about enough: the treatment of women studying engineering. I know there is a lot conversation about women in the professional workforce, but the problems start sooner, in school. Even in college the treatment of women is vastly different than the treatment of males. Being a girl should not be a legitimate reason to be allowed to cut in food lines at company talks. It isn’t a reason for guy classmates to take over lab measurements and circuit wiring. It isn’t a reason to think that someone is less bright, less creative, or less ingenious than you. I know not all male engineers think like that, but everyday I meet one or more people who expect less of me because I am a girl.
It isn’t a reason to think that someone is less bright, less creative, or less ingenious than you.
After a company talk I was waiting in line to talk with a recruiter when a guy in CPE told me I should switch out of the school of engineering because I “don’t seem like an engineer”. There are many types of engineers. I am assuming it was his first time meeting a bubbly girly engineer so I will cut him some slack. The engineering world is better with weird combinations. Just think of the fluffernutter sandwich, earthy peanut butter types need sweet sticky marshmallow fluff to balance out. And for the record the recruiter took CPE’s resume and dismissed him telling him to apply online. But she told me she would email back directly about a different position. But still, he shouldn’t have told me I wouldn’t be a capable engineer.
On the topic of capable, I know many of my classmates struggle with asking for help, but because I’m a girl people go out of their way to help without me asking. I appreciate it, but imagine what it would be like if boys received the same assistance. And why don’t they? I don’t know.
And another thing, when two guys go out for lunch it is assumed it is a business meeting, but when a guy asks a girl out for lunch we have no idea if it is about class or if it’s a date. And I know this is a universal problem for people of all studies, but my school of engineering is 80% male. So we engineering girls run into this problem more frequently.
But to the point, lab partner: you have no idea what its like being a girl in engineering. So you don’t get to use the girl card. I do.
The next time you don’t finish a lab on time, have fun gigoloing yourself out. I’ll be too busy working.
Sincerely,
Rebecca Chase Krieger
