MY FIRST CRYPTO-DICK-PIC - Why Cryptofeminism Matters

[Sophia Petrillo says NO to unsolicited dick pics!]

I have pondered over which topic I want my first crypto related article to be about for quite some time: the future of the internet, coder’s law, different proof mechanisms in comparison, inflation and deflation or even crypto-politics? All of those are great topics, but after I had woken up today it was clear to me which one to choose: “CRYPTOFEMINISM”. Why? Well, let me paint a picture for you like Sophia from Golden Girls used to:

*elderlySicilianwomansvoice*\ Picture it — the Internet 2018. It’s freezing and snowing outside your apartment but luckily, you’re still all cozied up in your warm bed, kitties purring all around you, you’re still weary but you feel pretty snug. You are a cryptocow who’s halfway attached to her cellphone because it provides you with the latest news, knowledge, funny memes for comic relief and keeps you in touch with the community as well as your friends and family. So naturally, first thing you do after you wake up is to you check your Blockfolio, crypto Twitter — or Instagram if you’re still too tired to process even 280 characters — and then you see who’s texted you good morning on Telegram and catch up on the chat groups. Crypto moves fast, who knows what you’ve missed sleeping? Did we moon yet? So you casually sort through your Telegram — and suddenly, hello stranger!

BOOM! SHAZAM. There it is. A FULL FRONTAL UNSOLICITED MALE NUDE.

Big time dick pic alarm (Where did he get my @handle from you ask? One of the crypto discussion groups obviously). So you jump up like you just got stung by a sexist tarantula, your blood pressure rises so fast that you go from sloth mode to Xena in 0–60. You don’t know if your disgust is bigger than your anger or the other way around. So you thank the Holy Crypto Cow that you haven’t had breakfast yet because otherwise you might feel quite physically compelled to throw it up again. Thinking: How dare you ruin my morning before I have had not even the second, nay, the first coffee of the day?
After you’ve told the harasser off IN ALL CAPS LOCK, banned the culprit from texting you again and also the group you admin, then what? You want to vent, and rant and thank, but first: coffee. Once the caffeination update is complete, you go to your favorite crypto-discussion group and you inform your fellow Cryptonians of the incident. You then get a few nice comments about how women should not be treated this way and that they should be able to feel comfortable in the space and you couldn’t agree more. Yes, sir! Way to go bros!

Thus ends, the tale of my first crypto related dick pic. All of this actually happened to me just this morning (I keep a screenshot stored away for evidence — you hear me, Swine? You could’ve just sent me a cat meme like a decent hooman for holy cow’s sake!). But I then also received a hilarious private message from a guy saying that he respects my point of view, but he wanted to send me a dick pic anyway — the pick one you can see above — and the only appropriate one possible. This guy made me laugh and we had a discussion about consent. Hallelujah, faith in the crypto males restored!
So, at this point, here goes a big SHOUTOUT to all the men in crypto who support women* in crypto, who make them feel safe and comfortable, who don’t act like complete jerks, who are funny and sweet and supportive. I see you, I salute you, I got lots of cryptocow love for you. Thank you!

Here’s the thing: we all need to work together to make this space more inclusive. Not only because we — you know — might want to actually behave like humans with integrity and moral values, but also because if it is one thing the crypto space really needs to survive and thrive, it is A-D-O-P-T-I-O-N. And women* are like roughly 50% of the general population, so even by sales and marketing standards: we matter. A lot. You want this space to grow bigger and stronger every day, guess what fellas, you need us! You don’t give two satoshis about feminism or women*?

This isn’t relevant to you? Well think again buddy, because we are the other half, we’re here to stay and you will need us. You need us as allies, not enemies. So act accordingly. Listen to your grandmas and BE NICE. Spread the crypto-gospel. Tell your momma, your grandma, your nieces, your girlfriends, classmates, co-workers, the lesbians who live next door, the gay bodybuilder in your gym, the trans-woman you meet in the disco-bathroom, the asexual taxi driver and your feminist professor at university. Talk to them about crypto and block chain, educate them and speak up if someone is harassing them, making fun of them or generally being a counterproductive jerk. If we want this space to thrive, evolve and revolutionize the world, we need as many humans as possible to participate. And for that to happen, we need to start a discussion, speak up, make everyone feel welcome and also actively invite and protect people.

THIS is why we need cryptofeminism. Because even in groups that are supposed to be all about cryptocurrencies, some men will randomly send you pictures of their private parts without a warning, just because you are female. THIS is why I created a Facebook group for women* interested in cryptocurrencies — that’s for women* only, period (no pun intended). Sometimes I get asked why we do not accept men in the group (usually asked by men)? THIS is the reason why. Because our female* group members usually don’t offend other members with pictures of, well, “members” (pun intended). And even if they did they would get banned from the group too.

So what is cryptofeminism? Isn’t that just feminism somehow related to the block chain& cryptocurrency space? Well, yes exactly! Then why not just call it feminism? The reason why I chose this term is because I do think that we are on the brink of a new era of decentralization, censorship resistance and trustless systems with an incredibly powerful plethora of possibilities lurking in the minds and computers of many smart and dedicated individuals. This new technology could bring about more freedom, financial security and autonomy to many in dire need of it. We are talking about things like banking the unbanked, tracking human trafficking victims, protection from censorship and much, much more. The term cryptofeminism is an emphasis on mainly two things:

1. explicitly also promoting feminism in the crypto& block chain space (that means total inclusion and intersectionality) and
2. the possibilities that lie within this revolutionary technology for every single human being on this planet regarding freedom, autonomy, human rights, security and equality.
   The latter, which I call “crypto-equality” is a topic I will focus on in depth in a separate article. So I am not just bullish on crypto, I am also cowish on crypto — if you get my joke.

That being said,
CRYPTOCOWS, to the MOOOOOOON!

*This article is dedicated to all the female/LGBTQ* identifying people already in this space as well as the ones who are interested in the crypto&block chain world. If you have had any bad experiences, have any questions or inquiries, feel free to drop me a message! Lots of cryptocow love for you!
❤ Yours truly, CryptoCow *\