Against all odds: Overcoming Racial, sexual, and gender harrassment on the digital battlefield
"Against All Odds: Overcoming Racial, Sexual, and Gender
Harassment on the Digital Battlefield." Dr. Chanel Suggs
I read this book in one sitting, and I have been pondering it all weekend long. I am unsure whether to categorize it as an inspirational read or a cyber read, but I relate to everything it covers, from a domineering parent to an office full of vipers. I know I am not the only one who has worked in toxic environments. The belittling, the questioning of credentials, the framing of any mistake as an unprecedented one, and the alienation are felt by many women in technology and cybersecurity. I found myself hoping that someone would show the author some grace, that either her mother would listen to her, or her supervisor would put her best interests at heart. Her story is like many of our stories. And she sparks important conversations about gender and beauty standards in the workplace. Ultimately, she would not allow anyone to bring her down. As if repeatedly stung by wasps, Dr. Sugg faced constant and unrelenting challenges. Where is grace, as I mentioned earlier? Is there any relief? Perhaps I am looking in the wrong place for grace, failing to realize that grace is neither tangible nor dependent on any person but divine. In the book, a bullied and berated employee who management seemed to want to have a nervous breakdown and quit learned only that he wanted more for himself. I feel that grace guided the author to move to different cities and earn her Doctorate in Cybersecurity. Grace was within her, enabling her to believe that she was and is more than any limitations placed on her by others. However, we must make sure that others are not treated the way the author was treated. As a military veteran, I recall the military adage that someone must be beaten down to be built up with resilience. That mindset is toxic in the workplace. Like the young lady who stood her ground against management who attempted to bully others, and like the author who mentored a co-worker who needed assistance at work, be a role model. We do not know what is going on in others’ personal lives. We must stop this. It is the responsibility of all levels of management, including HR, to do so. I will leave you with a line that resonated with me: “For those women like me who are working in toxic environments, don’t give up. Remember bullies can come in any form. Men or women. It doesn’t matter as you’ve read. Remember your worth. You are somebody.”