I called out for women! I said, “I am here. Can you see me?” I received a few waves from quiet voices, and I heard loud words from men, “There are women here, but they wish to remain anonymous. Surely you can understand.” and I could.
But my heart broke when in that community of thousands, using the best tools I had, I could only find 25 openly female members. They felt so precious to me. I wanted to show them my gratitude, so I dressed their cats (that’s right, I said, I dressed their cats). In this magical community, cats are king, so I put their cats in make-up and wigs, and I gave them lashes and cleavage to celebrate us, the brave Ma’ams in a world of Sers! Some of my new friends shared these edits with the community, and some didn’t, but I was just glad to spend the time giving them some respect.
Still, being so outnumbered in the community made me uncomfortable and sad. I had really enjoyed dressing up the lady cats. I wanted to do more of them, so that’s when I decided I would put every character in make-up and dresses. The Cool Pets seemed like better models for my new series conceptually, but I’d rather say I just liked that the pets had arms and feet. All the better for shoes and bags. Yes, the pets were the perfect collection to represent the growing diversity in the NFT space through fashion.
Maybe I watch too much Ru Paul’s Drag Race, which is impossible because there is no such thing as too much Ru Paul. All I know is that finding these pets’ inner goddesses was fun! I loved it. I loved every bit of lipstick I put on a crypto bro’s air pig (I can’t believe that’s an actual sentence). But it’s true! I loved all the awkward ‘thanks’ when the defi-guy saw his pet slaying it! I laughed out loud at every member who blanked me and loved when they called me a pet ‘pimp’. It was the kind of antagonizing I was hoping for, subtle with their tounges bit tightly. And if anyone ever let loose words of misogynistic hate, the community's mods would close rank and provide support.
But what I loved even more than that, was every time a wonderful human made my fashions their profile picture signifying, this is welcome here. You are welcome here. And, The Dressed up Pets worked! I know they contributed to my ability to connect with lovely female-identifying community members, and I thought you might like to read our conversations. The engagements have been published with consent, and their profiles have been kept anonymous for our peace of mind.
For Part 1 of this series of interviews, I interviewed a web3 woman identified as ‘A.’
A: GM! Lol! This is so cute! I love the lipstick. Thank you for this, JL! Honestly, I have to ask because you got my [HAIR] perfectly! I literally wear this hairstyle on the daily!! I’m so impressed! How did you know?
JL: I didn’t. I was just vibing. I’m glad it’s a good fit.
A: I love your vibe, girrlll!!
Later…
A: I heard you’re looking for interviewees for your blog. Good stuff on Stubby! I’m open to participating if you’re starting a list. I still have to comply with [REDACTED], but I love your writing style.
JL: I would be so excited to interview you!
A: I would be honored to be included in your work.
JL: What brought you to web3?
A: What brought me to Web3 was a combination of different things. In [YEAR], I worked in the legal industry at [REDACTED], focused on providing certifications for continuing legal education to lawyers throughout the country. My role in that position was to curate and compile all the legal case studies, documents, and legal jargon that would supplement the online or in-person seminars lawyers were required to take in order to maintain their legal certification. I essentially published all the texts related to CLE courses behind the scenes and ensured the digital seminars were operable & fixed any broken links to course materials. One of my assigned legal entities happened to be Blockchain Technology & Cryptocurrency Law. That was my first introduction to Web3.
[Then], I had a significant life event happen that pushed me to start learning about financial literacy. I started reading "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" and other books where authors taught readers how to pay off debt, invest in property, and other things they don't teach us in school. In 2020, I became interested in TikTok. The algorithm fed me content from financial "gurus" and crypto enthusiasts, which was in line with headlines around the same time about kids who were making a killing in NFTs. I think Weird Whales was one of the first successful projects I had ever heard about. I kept researching & started talking about wanting to get in the space around that time. About a year later, near the end of 2021, my husband and I decided to make the leap into Web3.
JL: Wow. That is quite the journey. What was the most surprising thing you learned along the way?
A: That's a great question! I think the most surprising thing I've learned along the way is the power & strength of community. The people here are so knowledgeable, intelligent, and eager to learn and grow while bringing others along with them for the journey.
JL: What do you think the landscape will look like in a year?
A: Hmm... a lot can happen in a year - even more can happen in a web3/crypto year! I have a hunch we will start to see more emerging technologies that will continue to bridge the web2 & web3 spaces. More people will become interested in what's happening with cryptocurrencies that they hear about in the mainstream. I foresee more adoption, more curiosity, & more movement. It's an exciting time!
JL: What made you want to be anonymous in the web3 space?
A: One thing that really grew on me as I entered this space was the luxury of identifying as a pfp. As a woman with a young face, it's tough in the corporate world. People are often too busy judging appearances instead of listening to the words and ideas that are being expressed. It's a big reason why I despise cams-on meetings, even in Web3. Age is just a number. I know a lot of younger people who are much smarter than me, and I know older people who aren't so wise.
JL: What can people know about you?
A: Outside of gender and marital status, I've studied a lot in my time. I have a BA in Creative Writing, English Literature, and Publishing. I received my master's degree in Information Design & Strategy with a focus on Content Strategy from [REDACTED]. I've spent over five years in digital marketing and SEO (search engine optimization). I'm very excited to see how the Web3 space evolves over time to continue elevating the world of marketing and NFTs.
I also have [PETS] and over 100 houseplants. I guess it's true that pets are the new children and plants are the new pets in the modern age.
JL: Pets and plants are more eco-friendly.
A: 100%
JL: How do you go from creative to more legal writing?
A: Writing & reading are my true passions. In my final semester of undergrad, I took some technical courses that sparked a buried interest in technology. I also had a marketing/advertising prof that encouraged me to lean into persuasive writing. After graduation and before I decided to go back for my master's, I landed the legal gig spontaneously, as I was moving to a new state at the time and the hiring manager was familiar with my alma mater. At that time, I was also curious about whether I wanted to pursue law school and applied to get a taste of the industry before committing to the Bar.
I like to consider myself a jack-of-all-trades. Being a master of many is better than being a master of one. I spend a lot of time thinking, reading, researching, and absorbing. I'm learning something new every day & I'm a huge advocate of lifelong learning. My skills are ever-evolving & I'm self-aware enough to know that I certainly do not know it all.
JL: Do you think your current role utilizes all of your skills?
A: Do I think my current role utilizes all of my skills? I do quite a lot behind the scenes. It's more than just [REDACTED]. It's a lot of organizing and understanding community sentiment and how that correlates to the current market atmosphere and happenings.
JL: That is great! I think women are often undervalued and under-utilized in this space.
A: Fortunately, I think that's the opposite in my case. However, I definitely agree with that as well!
JL: Who are some people in web3 you admire?
A: I would be remiss if I didn't mention Matthew Ball, Vitalik, and other prominent writers, creators, and thought leaders in this space. If you haven't read "The Metaverse" by Matthew Ball yet, I highly recommend checking it out. Some of my favorite people in NFTs include project founders of BAYC, Yuga, Cool Cats, Loserclub Reborn, Boki, Deadfellaz, Humankind, and more. I'm also intrigued by community members doing good work to provide information and updates with spaces, threads, and other content for the community. I often listen into Spaces like the NFT Morning Show, Rug Radio, the Grateful Show, Web3 Exposed, and others. LinkedIn has quickly become a wealth of knowledge over the past year or two since I started keeping tabs across the platform. It's always inspiring to see what people are building, learning, teaching, and churning out. I love to see it!
JL: What is something you have done that you are most proud of?
A: Something that I've done that I'm most proud of is to simply show up. I believe that's half of the battle on most days for all of us. When you realize your word is your integrity and you can say with confidence, "You can count on me!" it's up to you to deliver. It seems simple because it is, yet, surprisingly, not everyone holds this standard.
JL: What goals do you have for yourself? Would you say you are ambitious or competitive?
A: Yes, I would say I’m a little bit of both: ambitious & competitive. I enjoy healthy competition and setting goals. As a highly organized person, I adore checklists and color-coding, as well as reporting and note-taking. I’m always learning and flexing the boundaries of my mind. For me, it’s fun to learn and read and absorb. My goal is to forever be learning and growing, and to one day have platinum white hair.
JL: What is your next step? Or are you satisfied and have everything you could ever ask for?
A: I think my next step is to continue to grow personally and professionally in Web3. I enjoy the friendships I’ve been building in this space. It’s amazing to connect with so many like-minded individuals who harbor an interest and admiration for art and crypto. So many good-humored, thoughtful, creative and inspiring people engage here, and I’m honored to be among them. It’s equally an incredible honor & privilege to [REDACTED]. The people are inviting and warm, and gracious. I can’t say enough great things about [REDACTED]! I’m looking forward to continuing to deliver.
JL: Do you find it easier to make friends with men or women?
A: I find it very easy to make friends with everyone! I think people are drawn to me for unknown reasons, often telling me their life stories without my asking. I enjoy chatting with checkers at the grocery store, asking colleagues about their weekend plans, and learning about what people love most in life. I believe there is an art to sharing your most authentic self, and I always adore Gary Vee’s stance on expressing “kind candor.” Kindness truly is the way.
JL: How do you feel about being called ‘Ser’?
A: I'm aware that the majority of this space is heavily male-oriented. When a bro "bros" me or a nice chad calls me "ser," I gently correct them by letting them know I'm actually a "sis."
JL: Haha, ‘Nice, Chad’. Do you attend IRL events?
A: I have not yet had the pleasure of attending an IRL NFT event! It's on my list to do soon! Hopefully, I'll get the privilege of meeting many of you in the wild sometime.
JL: How do you think we can get more ladies into the space?
A: We definitely need more ladies in Web3. In my opinion, Ladies of BAYC does a really great job of offering a safe space for women to network & share their platforms with the community. I’d love to see more of these sub-communities dedicated to females across projects in this space, both as a way to onboard more ladies & demonstrate the power of women supporting women. In truth, if we want more ladies here, we need to meet them where they’re at in the world & online. That looks a bit different for everyone, but what it mainly comes down to is education. That means asking questions like “why should they care?” & “what’s in it for them?” The tech field, in general, needs an influx of females. I’m here for it.
