Bitcoin sexists

Arianna Simpson's blog post This is What it's Like to Be a Woman at a Bitcoin Meetup has been making the rounds.

Surprise, surprise: what is it like to be a woman at a Bitcoin meetup? Not fun.

Entirely uninvited, and before I even have a chance to react, one guy proceeds to grab me by the waist and pull me into an awkward, grope-y side hug next to him on the bench. To reiterate, I’ve never met this man in my life. I try giving him the benefit of the doubt and make some quip about his being a friendly sort, but it gets uncomfortable pretty quickly when he puts his hand on my leg and leaves it there until I squirm uncomfortably.

I just smile it off and start explaining my interest in the international implications of widespread bitcoin adoption, especially in countries where currency manipulation by corrupt governments has caused rampant hyperinflation and a host of other economic woes. I conclude the thought, and he (again, staring like I’m some sort of extraterrestrial creature), goes, “Wow. Women don’t usually say that type of things”.

I mean, what do you even respond to that?

Undeterred, I try to sidestep it and go on with my argument, concluding that what I am describing is “much more effective and efficient” than the current system. “Well,” he says looking at me knowingly, “Women don’t usually think in terms of efficiency and effectiveness” ....

A Facebook Friend linked the article, and on the thread (which is public at the time I post this) drew this bizarre commentary from someone pretending to be Andre de Castro:

Fuck that I was there this girl is an idiot! the event organizer s the nicest guy in the world. She needs a man

In addition, he complimented her, and she turned it into a story since she has no idea the difference between a compliment and a come on. I could simply do the same to her. I feel sorry for her incapable ability to see it for what it was. Insecure imbecile, Easy to pass judgement. Maybe she can challenge me or just go back to Cali or wherever she came from... If she would like she can debate me. Andre De Castro, I live at [false address] and I am well aware of her insecurities. want to reach me by phone? That lack of brains can at any time by simply dialing [false number]. I am on vacation in Rio however her big mouth and lack of sense disturbs me. She should be glad that others are working hard to encourage the community to work together. she should go back to the sorry place she came from.

Ooops was that out loud? I am just simply giving her a bit more material for her next blog. She can use my comments to justify her initial false recollection of the events. This time however she will have the proper ammunition since she can feel free to quote me from my facebook post by name. We can get ready for a flame war since I think between me and a few friends I am sure she will love the volume of crap people will write about her sorry ass. Employers will also love what they see when they google her name. Ball is in her court. I double dare her!!!

let me just add... one of my companies just built a proof of existence platform on the BlockChain. Every message and image of her some anonymous people may post will live for eternity. It will be fantastic for her future family and children to read. We can take this even further since the posts that are about to be released even governments will never be able to take down. Yes, I made this fight my own. I triple dare her!

Please please quote me. You would be doing me a favor to immortalize me as the asshole who you believe I am.

At the time I originally posted this, I had what I had reason to believe was good confirmation of the commenter's identity as de Castro. But it turns out that this was not correct. (The contact information also turned out to be likely wrong, suggesting that this was may have been a weird two-step effort to harass someone.)

So someone thought that playing off of industry sexism would be an effective, or at least “entertaining”, prank. Which is its own lesson in pervasive sexism ....