Pete Hegseth cured my imposter syndrome

Only "some people" are allowed to fail up and it's not you.

There’s something almost comical about watching white men fail up. No matter how mediocre, unprepared, or unqualified they are, the system still finds a way to reward them. And for years, I internalized the opposite message: as a Black woman, I had to be twice as good to get half as much and even then, nothing was guaranteed.

But then I watched Pete Hegseth. And suddenly, my imposter syndrome disappeared.

The Audacity of Mediocrity

Here is a man with no particular depth in governance or policy, yet he has a national platform as the Secretary of War, shaping political discourse and military decisions impacting millions of arm forces. He is treated as an authority even when his track record reveals nothing but bluster.

And he is not unique. Donald Trump (two time President — I guess) arguably the most glaring example of white male mediocrity. He rose to the highest office in the land with no experience in public service, no record of competence, and was a piss poor business man, riding on the coattails of his father’s money. He was and still is a reality show host, only now he’s playing President.

It’s in that absurdity that something shifted for me. If they can walk into positions of power with nothing but audacity, why should I question my own qualifications? Why should I let doubt consume me when I know I’ve done the work, built the expertise, and earned the right to lead?

The Toll on Black Women

But here’s the cruel irony: while unqualified men fail upward, Black women are being pushed out. Since Trump took office, 300,000+ Black women are now struggling to find work in an unstable job market. .

This is not a coincidence. It is the result of policy choices, workplace bias, and systemic disregard for our economic participation. When Black women are excluded from the labor market, households lose their breadwinners, communities lose their anchors, and the economy undercuts its own strength.

It’s an intentional design flaw, that breeds cruelty.

What We Deserve

To correct it, we must do more than acknowledge the disparity. We must restore public-sector jobs, rebuild DEI programs under attack, and adopt policies that intentionally support Black women instead of penalizing us. Because when we protect Black women’s ability to thrive economically, we propel prosperity for us all.

Why I’m Done Shrinking

So yes, Pete Hegseth cured my imposter syndrome. Watching the audacity of white male mediocrity on display every single day was oddly liberating. If they can walk into rooms with nothing but confidence, then I have no reason to shrink when I have both the intellect and integrity to back it up.

We have to move from seeing ourselves as imposters, in a world filled with mediocre white men who can barely keep up.

It’s time we set the pace and define the standard.

FXXK PETE.