Navigating Telecom as a Woman Who Refused to Shrink

Growing up, I never thought twice about hanging with the guys. I was tall, strong, and could keep up with the best of them. Video games, sports, tech talk—I was there for all of it. Being "one of the guys" was just my normal.

Then college happened.

I walked into my first telecom class and did that quick scan of the room we all do. That's when it hit me—I was practically the only woman there. Weird, but whatever, right? I was used to being around guys, so I didn't think much of it at the time.

In the Field: The Telecom Trenches

After graduation, I landed a job on a team that constructed cell towers and antennas for T-Mobile. I was the only woman on the crew, working side by side with the guys at work sites for 12-14 hours a day. Physical work, technical work—I could handle all of it. But there was one thing I couldn't engineer my way around: basic human needs.

"When do we get a bathroom break? I need to drive to a gas station," I'd ask.

The response? "Just do what everyone else does and go in the bushes."

Sure, I was down for that at first—I've never been precious about these things. But then came that "time of the month," and suddenly the logistics got a lot more complicated. Try handling that situation in the bushes next to a construction site with zero privacy and no facilities.

I held it in. For hours. Day after day. Not because I couldn't physically manage the job, but because I didn't want to come off as "the complaining woman." Eventually, I had to leave that position—not because I couldn't handle the technical aspects or the physical demands, but because my basic needs as a human weren't being met.

The Corporate Climb Wake-Up Call

Things didn't get much easier when I moved to the corporate side of telecom. This is where things got... interesting in different ways.

Remember when I said I was always tall and strong? Well, I'm also plus size. And apparently, in the corporate world, that's somehow relevant to my ability to do my job. (Spoiler alert: it's not.)

"How can we trust you to lead a team if you can't get your health in order?"

Yeah, someone actually said that to me. In a professional setting. In the 21st century.

It was like being back in high school all over again—the verbal jabs, the not-so-subtle looks, the assumptions. Only this time, it wasn't coming from immature teenagers; it was coming from supposed professionals.

The Road Not Taken

Sometimes I think about the roads I didn't take because someone decided to play gatekeeper. Like that time at a frat party when I mentioned wanting to be a computer engineer to a guy who was in the computer engineering program.

This guy—red solo cup in hand, polo shirt with popped collar—actually laughed and said, "Women can't be successful engineers, there's barely any girls in my class for that reason."

And you know what sucks the most? I believed him. Not because he was particularly convincing, but because sometimes all it takes is one person to plant that seed of doubt when you're young and figuring things out.

I'm still mad at myself for letting that random dude at a party influence my career path. Who made him the authority on my capabilities?

So What Changed?

I've been asking myself lately: I was always one of the guys growing up, so why have things changed?

The truth is, things haven't changed—I haven't changed. What changed was the context. Growing up, being "one of the guys" was simple because we were just kids having fun. The stakes were low.

But in education and the workplace, suddenly my gender and my size became liabilities in other people's eyes. Suddenly, being different made me a target for critique that had nothing to do with my abilities or my work ethic.

Finding My Way

Here's what I've learned so far on this journey:

1. My size has nothing to do with my technical skills or leadership abilities.

2. Being the only woman in the room doesn't make me less qualified—it often means I bring a perspective no one else has.

3. Those gatekeepers? They're usually the most insecure people in the room.

   
   

I'm carving out my space in telecom not despite being a plus size woman, but as my complete self. Some days are harder than others. Some meetings still feel like I'm swimming upstream. But I'm here, doing the work, proving those doubters wrong with every project I complete and every team I lead.

Why I'm Sharing This

I'm writing this blog because I know I'm not alone. I know there are other women out there—in telecom, in tech, in corporate America—who are facing the same challenges. Who are being judged for their appearance rather than their abilities. Who had someone tell them they couldn't do something because of who they are.

This blog is for us. It's a place to share stories, strategies, and maybe a few eye-rolls at the absurdity of it all. It's professional, because we're damn good at our jobs. But it's also real, because pretending these challenges don't exist doesn't help anyone.

Finding My Tribe at Mogul

As we celebrate International Women's Month, I can't help but reflect on how far I've come—and how much my environment has shaped my experience.

When I joined Mogul, an all-female company, everything changed. For the first time in my professional life, I wasn't the "only one" or the "different one." I was just... me. A professional with skills, ideas, and ambition.

Working alongside brilliant women who lead with confidence, creativity, and compassion has been nothing short of revolutionary for me. These women don't just talk about breaking glass ceilings—they're actively shattering them every day with their experience, hard work, intelligence, and passion.

At Mogul, I've seen firsthand that women truly can run the world. Not because we're trying to prove something, but because we're damn good at what we do. The collaborative environment, the mentorship, the shared understanding of navigating traditionally male-dominated spaces—it's all created a foundation where I can thrive professionally without constantly fighting to be seen and heard.

The Bigger Picture

This International Women's Month, I'm especially grateful for spaces created by women, for women. Places where our unique perspectives aren't just tolerated but celebrated as valuable assets.

I think about that guy at the frat party sometimes. I wonder what he would say if he could see the incredible female engineers, technicians, and leaders I work with daily. I wonder if he'd still be so quick to dismiss what women can accomplish in tech.

So here's to breaking barriers, proving people wrong, and doing it all while being unapologetically ourselves. Here's to companies like Mogul that demonstrate what's possible when women lead. And here's to all the women in telecom, tech, and beyond who are changing the landscape simply by showing up and being brilliant.

Welcome to my journey. I'm glad you're here.