This is both inspirational and disheartening.

"In my IT career, being a female minority in male dominated IT industry, I have to prove myself again and again.  In general, as a female technologist, people think you are not good until you prove them wrong.  In contrast with our male colleagues, people think you are good until you prove them wrong.  The perception is simply our reality.  Throughout my career, from a junior developer to even today as a Chief Technologist, I always run into people who decide to ignore me or not include me.  My reaction to them has always been to stay focused on my work and to professionally ask for the rights I deserve.  When people start to criticize you, it is normally a good thing because you have done something good and they don’t like the fact that the great idea comes from you; they challenge you and intimidate you to see how you will react.  This is when most of us break down, because we never like confrontation and arguments; it is not part of our “good behavior.”   " 

Her attitude is inspiring.

It's some other peoples' attitudes that are disheartening.