This is a response to @susanne post about being a woman in tech. Also, wow, that comments section. Steemit, do better.

Susanne,

I'm Kat. I blog anon here, but I decided to make a new account and show my face because this is an important issue for me. I've been in the blockchain/cryptocurrency space since 2012. I went to Wellesley College and lived in the Feminist Cooperative for two years. Starting my Freshman Summer of college, I began doing research in the MIT Media Lab and cross-registered at MIT until I graduated. I started to experience these microaggressions you describe. This is also around the same time I discovered Bitcoin and fell down the rabbit-hole of crypto. I've had lots of internships/jobs since then, and yes, sexism is there:

I went to a Bitcoin conference and I was the only woman there. I was the only Female PennApps Fellow in 2014 was housed by myself and missed out on all the casual interactions with the fellows--Literally pushed out. I currently go to a lot of conferences and get asked if I'm someone's wife constantly (actually at one conference, someone thought I was an escort!). At the NYC Bitcoin Center, where I attended meet-ups twice a week for almost a year, I'd have men who were first timers come up to me and ask if I was "the artist" (there was art on the wall) as if it were an art gala. I was the only female at my last job with over 15 employees. I'm the only female founder and employee of my current one. We've all had experiences like this, and thank you for sharing yours.

I'm a feminist.

It's not a dirty word--for boys or girls.

What I think you're trying to say when you say you're not a feminist is "I don't hate/think women are better than men!" "Don't think I'm one of *those* hairy-armpitted, birkenstock-wearing, raging mad feminazis"

That's not what feminism is. That's not who I am, and that's not who you are either. Its definition is "the advocacy of women's rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men."

You just described all the instances in which you weren't socially treated the same as your male co-workers. I told you a bunch of mine. Don't you want to advocate for equal social rights? (You actually already kind of did with your post)

I choose to be (semi)active about my advocacy. I started I started http://bitcoinwomen.org/ to organize women in crypto. I got coinbase to give every woman at my school $10 in BTC. I don't scream at anyone. I don't burn bras. I'm happy when someone holds a door for me--it's nice, I wouldn't yell at them for it, but I also wouldn't expect them to hold it for me. I try to encourage everyone I meet to learn anything they can about the tech world--I've already gotten a couple of my friends and people in my community into Steemit.

I call myself a feminist. When you say you're not one, you discredit me, my work, and the work of so many others before us. When you say you're not a feminist, people see the "raging bitch" stereotype instead of people like you and me.

I ask you, please, to reassess your label. Or, at least, don't shit on mine.

And if what you're actually saying is "Trolls on the internet please don't send me rape threats for talking about feminism".... fuck 'em.

-Kat