Jenn, I wouldn’t let what some male fighter pilots have to say deter you from your dream. I have a friend who used to fly the F-18. He is now a captain at a passenger airline. I have never heard him say anything derogatory about women who want to fly a fighter jet (although he does have some choice words about my own flying ability!).

Your situation is not unlike my experience in law school. There were times not long ago when every lawyer, every judge, every law professor was a male. When we came along, the snickering and whining went into stratospheric levels. We were told we could not finish law school, let alone practice law or join the judiciary. Well, I have done all of the above.

If you want to fly fighters, I say you go for it. Better to have tried and failed than not to try at all. I cannot do what you want to do, but am content to live vicariously.