This is Aviate with Shaesta, and we’re opening Season 7 with a force of clarity, grit, and hard-earned wisdom. Sharon Preszler—trailblazer, retired Air Force fighter pilot, and advocate—joins us for a rare and brutally honest conversation on gender, performance, and the cost of systemic resistance in aviation today. As the first woman to become combat-ready in the F-16, Sharon didn’t just break a barrier—she carried the weight of proving an entire generation’s worth. In this conversation, she opens up about the pressure, the skepticism, the “death by a thousand cuts” moments—and why we need to push back against the narrative that DEI lowers standards. We talk performance, bias, representation, and the reality facing women in uniform now, as DEI programs are pulled back, stories are erased, and long-earned progress is threatened. If you’ve ever been told you’re “just a diversity hire,” if you’ve felt the need to outperform just to be accepted, or if you care about building a military and aviation community that truly reflects the best this country has to offer—this episode is for you.
Major Themes & Concepts
✅ Belonging must still be proven through performance
✅ DEI removes barriers—not qualifications
✅ Sharon’s journey from fighter pilot to advocate
✅ Being the “first” means constant scrutiny
✅ Inclusion is key to retention and trust
✅ DEI rollback is harming readiness and morale
✅ Legacy systems exclude qualified talent
✅ Systemic bias still shapes who advances
✅ We need facts—not fear—in these debates
✅ Leadership pipelines still favor familiarity
✅ Historic bias still shapes modern outcomes
✅ Progress is fragile—but worth defending
Chapter Breakdown
00:00 – You must change the system yourself
01:27 – Why this conversation matters right now
04:46 – Flying the F-16 under pressure and protest
08:03 – What inclusion really looks like in uniform
10:19 – Who defines “qualified” in aviation today?
13:59 – DEI rollbacks and historical erasure
18:35 – Data reveals who’s truly advancing
22:46 – Is the system neutral—or just comfortable?
29:18 – Microaggressions and lasting emotional cost
36:44 – Advice: Define success, perform relentlessly
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