Web3 Community Commemorates Women’s History Month in the Metaverse and Other Platforms

March has witnessed numerous web3 initiatives aimed at acknowledging and celebrating women’s accomplishments in honor of Women’s History Month. This yearly observance, initiated in 1987, highlights the significant contributions women have made to society.

Diversity Fuels Web3 Advancement

Monica Talán, Founder and Contributor at the Spanish-language web3 platform CryptoConexión, informed Cryptonews that promoting awareness for women in web3 transcends merely achieving gender parity.

Talán asserts that showcasing women in the web3 domain will broaden the talent pool, resulting in innovative viewpoints and novel strategies.

“This will foster more equitable economic opportunities, cultivate inclusive communities, and ensure that the future of technology mirrors and addresses the needs of everyone,” stated Talán.

This is essential, as data from 2023 indicates that women occupy approximately 26% of all positions in the crypto sector. Further statistics reveal that merely around 6% of top leadership roles are held by women, with 94% of CEOs being male.

According to Talán, women constitute 47% of CryptoConexión’s audience. She elaborated that shifting the narrative from “women must adapt to web3” to “web3 must evolve to welcome women” has contributed positively to the platform’s diversity.

Talán noted that CryptoConexión highlighted 60 Latinas making contributions to the web3 space at the beginning of Women’s History Month this year.

“This list also featured newcomers,” Talán remarked. “This initiative underscores the significance of representation, aiming to motivate more Latinas to enter web3 and foster a more inclusive, diverse digital future.”

Sandy Carter, COO at the web3 domain platform Unstoppable Domains, shared with Cryptonews that women in the crypto field have indeed brought forth unique innovations.

Carter mentioned that Unstoppable hosted a session on the X platform centered on “the power of tokenization and women” on March 8 – International Women’s Day.

“We had guests like Dr. Anino Emuwa, who founded 100 Women Davos, and The Africa Women CEO Network,” she stated. “We also featured the Director from Boss Beauties, who collaborated on the Mattel Barbie and Boss Beauty NFT project.”

Honored to be part of @UnstoppableWow3’s initiative to empower women in #Web3 and #AI this International Women’s Day.

Grab yourself a shirt to support education designed by @gianinaskarlett !!!!

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Logos on the back from: @_HerDAO @shefiorg… pic.twitter.com/Kp9TAvMCJD

— Sandy.AUSTIN (@sandy_carter) March 8, 2024

Honoring Women in The Metaverse

While highlighting women may assist in promoting female engagement in web3, the Metaverse has emerged as a favored venue for women-centric events.

Kim Currier, Head of Marketing at the Decentraland Foundation, informed Cryptonews that from March 26-29, Decentraland will feature the artwork of talented women during its second annual “Art Week” and “MESHfair.”

“MESHfair is a distinctive opportunity for artists to unleash their creativity in a virtual setting,” Currier stated.

Currier added that women artists will account for 16 of the 32 international artists chosen to present new works during MESHfair.

Image of MeshFAIR 2023. Source: MeshFAIR

Artist and web3 producer Bay Backner established MESHfair. Backner informed Cryptonews that MESHfair serves as a conduit for artists working in the 3D file format for virtual reality (VR) to connect with galleries and collectors.

“Despite the growing interest in VR, works in this format remain underrepresented in both traditional art fairs and prominent NFT collections,” Backner noted.

Backner added that 13.7% of living artists represented by galleries in Europe and North America are women.

“Of the 100 most expensive artworks ever sold, none have been created by a woman,” she stated. “Thus, there is still a considerable journey ahead toward gender equality in the art world.”

Unfortunately, Backner believes a similar gender disparity is emerging within the VR industry.

This may be attributed to a scarcity of women-led Metaverse enterprises. According to McKinsey, only 10% of the metaverse companies that received funding during the 2017-2022 crypto boom were led by women.

“Unless we enhance discoverability here – showcasing the work of women entrepreneurs and creatives in VR – we’ll continue to see the same outdated narratives being repeated,” Backner remarked.

With this in mind, Backner explained that MESHfair is vital for discoverability.

“It supports the small, yet expanding community of creators in immersive web3 technology. And every artist in this space right now is making history,” she stated. “They’re defining a new artistic medium. It’s therefore particularly crucial that women artists are a documented and discoverable part of this dialogue.”

A female artist known as “JaneDAO” informed Cryptonews that showcasing her work during MESHfair and Women’s History Month offers a platform to inspire through sharing and creation.

“It’s an opportunity to emphasize the diverse creativity and insights women contribute to these fields, reinforcing that art conveys universally impactful messages,” she stated. “My participation not only highlights my contributions but also illuminates the broader influence of women in this domain, igniting essential discussions about our shaping role in the future of technology and art.”

Image created by JaneDAO. Source: MeshFAIR

Women in Web3 Remain in the Spotlight

Even as Women’s History Month concludes, initiatives centered on women will persist in hopes of fostering women’s engagement in web3.

Talán acknowledges that the blockchain sector often poses challenges for women. She advocates for simplifying web3 concepts and platforms to make the sector more accessible as a crucial element in altering the current landscape.

“The technical jargon, absence of user-friendly platforms, and rapid pace can be daunting, particularly in a field historically dominated by men,” Talán stated. “Despite these obstacles, significant strides are being made through dedicated ongoing efforts to onboard women into web3.”

For instance, Talán explained that initiatives like SheFi, Unstoppable Women of web3, HER DAO, Black Women Blockchain Council, and the Association for Women in Crypto are essential in demystifying the space. Each of these platforms provides ongoing education, resources, and community support.

“In Latin America, ‘WAGMI LATAM’s’ collaboration with communities such as Cripto Curiosas, WomenBiz, WEDAO LATAM, WARMI, Mujeres en Crypto, and Metagals has demonstrated the significance of establishing local and regional inclusive environments,” Talán added.

Backner further noted that she will be hosting upcoming projects aimed at women this year.

“My two forthcoming projects are Decentraland Gaming Week (June 2024), which will support diverse creators in developing interactive web3 games, and The Censored Art Show (Sept 2024), which will assist digital artists affected by censorship or shadowbanning on social media and other platforms,” she stated.

Backner highlighted that censorship, in particular, is an issue that disproportionately impacts women and minority digital artists.

“This is especially true if artists incorporate their own bodies within their works,” she noted.

Additionally, Carter mentioned that Unstoppable will continue its commitment to enhancing women’s participation in web3 and technology as a whole.

“We plan to broaden our educational initiatives, offering more workshops, courses, and mentorship programs specifically designed for women,” she stated. “Networking events and safe spaces for discussions will remain a priority, ensuring women feel supported and connected.”

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