Being the Only Woman in the Room
First up, one we’re sure that most women in crypto have experienced is being among the small minority of women at an industry event. Now, there’s no reason for this to be awkward.
Focus on why you came to the event. Remember to be yourself and be confident, using positive body language and speaking concisely and persuasively, rather than trying to blend in with those around you. See this as an opportunity to share your achievements, open your minds, and pave the way for other women. Don’t accept a supporting role such as taking notes or distributing materials.
Being Overlooked for an Opportunity
Have you ever felt like you’ve been overlooked for an opportunity at your job? This can also happen when it comes to crypto-related career paths. The reason is simple, an unconscious and inherent bias, present in the workplace since the dawn of time. You know what we’re talking about, having your idea go unheard only for a male counterpart to be lavished with praise for reiterating the very same idea.
To combat this issue, start by getting comfortable with speaking out and following up. By stating your case loudly and clearly, you can be sure you’ve been heard. Find or create opportunities to make interjections and take ownership of your suggestion. Is there a way of introducing measures to educate your co-workers or peers about unconscious biases? Discuss setting up opportunities for support and mentoring with senior staff.
Harassment
Online or offline, at work or in your personal life, sexual harassment is something that is encountered by a vast majority of women. Sadly, this has filtered its way into the crypto world, so what to do when you feel unsafe?
Document everything, from the specifics of the incident to any supporting evidence or witnesses. Store this information away from the workplace and ensure it is backed up should things escalate.
Figure out what it is that you want, are you unable to continue working with your harasser, or do you simply want them to be moved to a different department or role? Are you happy to continue working together if their behavior stops and they apologize?
Arming yourself with these mechanisms will help combat these common biases against women in crypto and at work towards an equal uptake of cryptocurrencies between men and women.
Why Does This Matter?
Equal uptake is essential for achieving the end goal of the crypto community, the widespread adoption and acceptance of cryptocurrencies. Considering that at least 50% of the world population is female, to truly achieve mass adoption, the uptake among women needs to be far, far higher.
Is it fair to chalk this discrepancy up to the fact that women are, on the whole, more risk-averse than men, particularly when it comes to their finances? A sweeping generalization, though cryptocurrency, of course, remains a relatively new asset class when compared to the likes of funds, stocks and real estate, which means that it is particularly volatile in comparison. Or are biases like these at fault, meaning this is something we can begin to tackle together?
There is some data that suggests the gender gap in crypto is beginning to decrease. We only hope that this positive shift will be replicated in the years to come, as an indication of what lies ahead for crypto. Crypto is after all designed to be inclusive, so the gender inequality faced by the community is a major stumbling block.
Efforts to help rebalance this split can be misguided, with the creation of women’s only events, platforms and communities. Yet successful integration of cryptocurrency relies on us finding strength in diversity, not segregation.
Anyone can be an investor. On a global scale, crypto remains a relatively young asset class with an investor base that’s still growing. At IXFI, we’re building a community where everyone is welcome. We mean it when we say that anyone can be an investor. Try it for yourself; join Your Friendly Crypto Exchange today and see where you fit in.
Disclaimer: The content of this article is not investment advice and does not constitute an offer or solicitation to offer or recommendation of any investment product. It is for general purposes only and does not take into account your individual needs, investment objectives, and specific financial and fiscal circumstances.
Although the material contained in this article was prepared based on information from public and private sources that IXFI believes to be reliable, no representation, warranty, or undertaking, stated or implied, is given as to the accuracy of the information contained herein, and IXFI expressly disclaims any liability for the accuracy and completeness of the information contained in this article.
Investment involves risk; any ideas or strategies discussed herein should therefore not be undertaken by any individual without prior consultation with a financial professional for the purpose of assessing whether the ideas or strategies that are discussed are suitable to you based on your own personal financial and fiscal objectives, needs and risk tolerance. IXFI expressly disclaims any liability or loss incurred by any person who acts on the information, ideas or strategies discussed herein.
