I was always leery of wearing pink. I thought it would make me a girly girl and the guys wouldn’t listen to me. I worked in Oil and Gas as a “Landman” until the end of the Oil Embargo in ’82. I then moved into Computer Science and worked as a software engineer on Operating Systems, Compilers, Financial Applications, GIS projects and eventually moved into Software QA. It has only been in the last few years as my hair has greyed I have finally accepted that I like the color pink and there is no shame in liking it. I have grown my hair out and rock a pony tail, bun or hair clip, I wear my pink stuff with pride and accept I don’t have to dress and look like one of the boys to be able to fit in and do my job. I now say “I am old enough to know better” and tell stories of what it was like in engineering and oil and gas (Interview questions about “Are you dating?”, “What happens when you get married?”, “What happens when you start having Babies?”), before I gave myself permission to speak up and start making waves. There is still tons of work out there to do, so women automatically get paid what men get paid, have opportunities for advancement with the ease men do, funding for startups with the ease men do, and ….. But we have made advancements so lets enjoy and keep striving. Be disruptive!