If the glass slipper doesn’t fit, smash it: Unraveling the myth of gender equality in crypto
Crypto’s reputation as a boys’ club does not come as a surprise: It sits at the very intersection of tech and finance, perpetuating the legacy of “bro culture” that is coded into Silicon Valley and Wall Street. It was only in 2020 when Citigroup bank appointed the company’s first female CEO, Jane Fraser. This was a milestone in its 200-year long history and in the history of Wall Street itself, having the first woman lead one of the largest Wall Street banks.
Meanwhile, cases of sexual harassment run rampant across pioneering tech firms, as seen in the case of Riot Games, for example, where it has been implied that women simply do not belong. Just four years ago, the 2018 North American Bitcoin Conference culminated in a notorious networking event held at a Miami strip club. Though the organizers later expressed regret at their choice of venue, the story is only one of many incidents in crypto’s history of diminishing the role of women in the industry.
The perception of crypto’s proclivity toward men clearly needs rehabilitation, and the business case for this is evident. An inclusive crypto ecosystem not only broadens its appeal to a wider audience but, more importantly, helps crypto move into the mainstream. While there is no shortage of interest or talents in crypto among women, the most outspoken crypto traders and influencers speak to a male audience simply because these influencers are men themselves. In fact, CryptoHead’s 2021 list of the world’s top 50 crypto figures features an all-male ensemble — a symptom of serious gender underrepresentation via the absence of women entirely.
Women still suffer from the problematic legacy of the male-dominated finance ecosystem, be it existing barriers to personal finance or in
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