I don't buy this. I'm a minority immigrant to this country and growing up every time we flew as a kid, I always tried to stop at the end of the flight to see the flight deck. It was always white male men, and guess what, every single one was receptive and made me believe I could do it. When I told an Airtran crew I was a student pilot (later in my teens), they let me sit in the seat and program the FMS (of course told me what to push). I never needed to see a brown guy up there to know that I could do it.

I just don't buy the argument that someone has to look my skin color in order for me to do their job. This is 2021, we should be beyond pettiness like this.

Another thing, in our culture pilots just aren't thought of being the rock stars that some might think they are. A pilot job doesn't technically require a degree, most know that, and in our culture this bias is established. It doesn't matter if you are making six figures flying Airbus or Boeing. An example, my degree is in engineering. My family and I were at a wedding and my father was introducing us kids to some other friends. When it came to my turn, he said here is my second son and he's, uh, his background is in engineering. And then moved on to the next son. In some cultures, showing you're educated is more important than telling someone you're just a pilot. Of course later in private I talked to my father and called him on it, that next time you should introduce me and then say what my job is, not my degree.

Growing up, both my parents were against me becoming an airline pilot. Father thought after 9/11 people that looked like us wouldn't be hired, mother thought it was too dangerous. The biggest obstacle I faced was never white men in aviation. It was family, people who looked like me, and convincing them that this IS what I want to do and that I do want to do it. In the end, father did support me and both parents are proud. But it took a lot of convincing, begging, etc.

Lastly as a minority, I do think the anger against white men, white privilege, all of it, needs to be toned down. I'm seeing the country be torn with these self-created (largely, media created) race divisions.