Your Story Matters

When I attended the Society of Women Engineers’ Congressional Visits Day in Washington, D.C., for the first time this year, I was intrigued not only about what SWE members asked of congressional staff but also what staff asked SWE members. 

Eighty-three members came from all over the U.S. to explain the current situation for women in engineering and other STEM fields: low representation, few opportunities for advancement, and unequal pay, among other problems. 

What the Capitol Hill staffers wanted to hear from SWE members was not just the facts and figures. They wanted stories: Individual narratives describing pay disparities, bias and discrimination, specific roadblocks to advancement, and the effects these situations have on women, their careers, their families, and their communities. 

The staff said their bosses — senators and house representatives — need to be able to tell powerful, meaningful stories on the Senate and House floors to persuade their colleagues to support any legislation that might positively impact women in STEM. And the stories should match the “ask” — the legislation for which members advocate. 

For example, for the pending STEM RESTART Act, which calls for funding “returnships” at small and mid-sized companies to support employees who return to work after a break, they might want to hear about someone’s struggle to land a job after caring for a sick family member. Stats are fine; personal stories drive the points home.

Recently many people have felt moved to call or write their representatives to voice concerns about resistance to, or the outright elimination of, diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, rollbacks to legal protections for historically underrepresented groups, and other political developments. It’s good to know that women’s personal stories are important to representatives — and that they are open to listening.

If you have a story to share, consider attending SWE’s next Congressional Visits Day or becoming a member of the SWE Public Policy affinity group. Find resources at the SWE public policy page. Our coverage of this year’s Congressional Visits Day can be read here.

The current wave of anti-DEI sentiment also affects men who are allies to women in STEM, voluntarily serving as mentors, sponsors, and champions. Our feature on the skills men need to be strong supporters today can be read in this issue.

The men interviewed for the article by SWE contributor Sandra Guy say they encountered some form of discrimination themselves at some point in their lives or were raised by strong, hardworking women whose struggles were evident while growing up. Read our look at a few of the their personal journeys in this issue.

The struggles women engineers face now are nothing new. The first generation of members who founded and guided SWE in its earliest years overcame resistance to the mere notion of women learning and practicing engineering. Yet they asserted their place in the field, accomplishing many firsts. Lillian Moller Gilbreth, Ph.D., for example, became the first woman to receive the Hoover Medal, which was given by engineers to engineers for distinguished public service. Her story along with others are told in “Women Engineers (From SWE’s History) You Should Know,” a twist on SWE Magazine’s annual feature on extraordinary women engineers. The different take on this feature coincides with SWE’s 75th anniversary.

The founders might be surprised to learn that in 2025, women engineers are still fighting to ensure all engineers are treated equitably. By persevering through today’s challenging political climate and discourse, SWE and its members will continue to set the stage for future generations of successful, accomplished women engineers.