‼️trigger warning: This article contains images of sexist assaults.
I was sexually assaulted by trolls on the Taiwain's Internet. Since I am a self-taught web developer and woman.
Hi everyone my name is Rhaenyra, and I'm from Taiwan. Today I want to share a story about gender discrimination and how we can move forward to bring positivity to the tech industry. By sharing my experience, I aim to empower every woman in the tech industry with a simple yet powerful message:
" I will always support you!"
I'm a self-taught web developer who jumped into job hunting three months after I started learning. My first gig was as a software developer intern, and within another seven months, I scored my second job offer as a front-end developer and another internship.
I decided to share my career switch story and some free resources on YouTube because, when I was looking to switch careers, all my Google searches (in Chinese) results pretty much told me it was a no-go, especially for someone diving into self-study. But when I search in English, I find loads of resources, solid advice, and encouraging words. So, I want to bring this inclusive culture into my living environment. I dropped my first YouTube video to spill the beans on my journey, aiming to boost up anyone out there thinking about leaping.
Since, my video got shared on a forum, and that's when things took a bit of a turn. Some folks started dropping comments on the forum and, unfortunately, left some sexually assaulted messages under my videos. The one that got the most attention was this one comment saying that, as a woman, I supposedly got my job based on my looks and figure. Like the text in the screenshot below, these are just some of the comments.
Seeing that comment for the first time really threw me for a loop. I was a mix of frustrated and ticked off. I'm never bragging about how epic I am or flashing job offers from big names. I've just used a well-known company in my video banner as a smart marketing move, but hey, I never claimed to have snagged an offer from FAANG or anything.
My whole point is to encourage folks who are feeling a bit scared or unsure about following their dreams.
And yet, here I am, getting heat simply because I'm a woman... and because I am self-taught... I almost let it get to me. But then, it hit me: why should anyone's opinion sway me just because of my gender, something I was born with? A few days later, I saw some uplifting comments and noticed a bunch of folks in the foreign communities that are outside the Chinese-speaking community rallying for gender equality. It was like a shot of energy. I realized I wasn't alone, so I picked myself up and told myself to keep pushing and learning.
I reminded myself to stay strong, like Ada Lovelace, the first programmer, and like those encouraging voices in the comments and community. Being strong means you can share your story to help others, letting them know they're not in this alone. The most crucial part? To keep moving forward. That's how we make our voices heard in the tech world and take a stand against discrimination.
Finally, I want to say to everyone, especially those who are going through tough times. I've been there too, and I totally get where you're coming from. Just remember, even when it feels like you're all on your own, there are people out there ready to have your back. Count me in as one of them. I'm here for you, always.
Top comments (23)
Thanks for being vulnerable and sharing your story with us @rhaenyraliang. It’s unfortunate that you endured such disrespect and glad to see that there people were who defended you on your behalf! :)
That being said, can you put a warning like this at the beginning of your post(e.g., ‼️trigger warning: sh)? It’ll give users who have endured similar experiences the option to scroll & not feel uncomfortable.
Thank you @cbid2 ! I'll make the changes and be more mindful in the future!😊
First off, you rock, Rhaenya! 🙌
Really appreciate you sharing this sensitive story with us and I'm sorry to hear about all the abuse you faced just for sharing your experiences and being yourself.
Sadly, this is a familiar story. I know women in the tech space (and just women online, in general) face sexual and sexist abuse regularly. I appreciate you writing this post and amplifying your experience. I know it's probably painful to relive but I also think the way that you've recollected things to us, just proves your strength and reveals their weakness.
And on the positive side, I am really glad to hear that others have been supportive of you and are helping to counteract that negativity you experienced with kind and welcoming words. We need more of that in the world!
Anyway, really appreciate ya being part of our community and thanks again for sharing your experience!
Thank you for reading this article！🤘
Because of this community, I can move forward. The community has given me a lot of strength. I also want to contribute, just like you!
I will keep going!
Owwww when I see this kind of behavior, it's so infuriating at times!
Thanks for your post, It takes courage to put yourself forward on the Internet. And dealing with harassment, taking up this "challenge" and getting over this kind of behavior, is a great battle! 👏
Congratulations to you, and leave those kind of beasts aside, you're better than them! 👏🥊
Thank you for reading this article!
I will keep going. Taking this courage to embrace everyone who encounters difficulties along this path.
I will keep fighting！🥊
Public bullying someone based on gender is reprehensible, unjust, unethical, amoral and an act of cowardice.
Thank you for reading this article！
Yes ,often the people who leave these messages are anonymous.
Sorry to hear about this. Being a self-taught dev, and growing up in a poor family, there are some points where I can relate, but it's really hard to even think about how you must felt with those comments.
But your text shows you have the passion, the resolution, and the strength to keep going. And that's what you need to do. Be the Ada Lovelace of your generation, or your country, or even your city, it doesn't matter how big or how small you can influence other people, but keep doing this. With some luck, in the future a new self-taught girl will just say that she wants to be like you
meh, the nice gif didn't load :(
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Thank you for reading this article!
I will keep going !
Thank you for your encouragement, you give me a lot of strength.
I will continue to learn, share, and most importantly, embrace more people with this courage.
Oh, dear... Thanks for sharing your story, you're so brave! As a woman, who studied Physics and CS, I do recognize such things in my life too. We are going to support each other and don't let these kind of things ruin our paths.
Thank you for reading this article ! Yes ,we will become more and more brave！😊
Thank you!
I'm really sorry you've had to experience this. Thank you for your bravery and sharing your experience 💜
Thank you for reading this article!
I will keep going, share, contribute, and embrace everyone who encounters difficulties in this way 💜
I'm sorry that all this happened to you. And thank you for sharing your experience. This kind of behavior happens all the time, and sometimes, we get terrified to share because, most of the time, no one believes in us. Everything scares us in the tech industry. But as you said, we must stay strong for ourselves and other women. I hope you have kind people around you who help you get through all this.
Thank you for sharing your story. Go ahead queen. There's a saying in my local language. हाथी चले बाजार कुत्ते भौंके हजार which simply means that when a person progresses with something or succeeds, the people often vilify him and protest. (So let them do what they do. A high-level person doesn't need anything to stop progressing or succeeding).
It's really frustrating at times to see such comments but all you can do is ignore people like these. The world is very big and beautiful. Try not to spend your time and energy on these things.
Thank you for reading this article！
The sentence in my local language is like 當有人成功時，人們通常會毀謗他。
Thank you for your courage, I agree with what you said.
I will keep going!
Hi @rhaenyraliang, I'm sorry you had to go through such an unpleasant experience. It's disheartening to see discrimination and negativity. However, your resilience and determination are truly inspiring.
I appreciate you sharing this sensitive story and thank you for being part of the community. 🙌