I’m supposed to graduate from school two weeks from today. I’m told that the world is mine for the taking and that anything a guy can do, I can do too, if not better. I wrote an entire thesis this past year on the potential of the Internet and how specifically for women, it can be a tool for empowerment. That said, part of me was devastated when I read this article from the washington post about the online harassment of female bloggers.

I will be damned if instances of online harassment deter me from expressing my individuality and exercising my right to freedom of speech. I refuse to alter my online life, which honestly, has enhanced my offline one. For me, blogging has been one of the healthiest, most liberating activities I’ve been able to give myself. I’ve met wonderful people through the Internet, my boyfriend included. Sites like myspace, facebook, flickr, twitter, delicious, jaiku, you name it…they’ve all allowed me to communicate and feel connected, not only with individuals I know in person, but individuals I would never be able to have contact with otherwise.

In 1996, John Perry Barlow’s Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace proclaimed the following:

We are creating a world that all may enter without privilege or prejudice accorded by race, economic power, military force, or station of birth. We are creating a world where anyone, anywhere may express his or her beliefs, no matter how singular, without fear of being coerced into silence or conformity.”

As the co-founder of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a lobbying group for digital rights, Barlow’s language reflects national paradigms within America’s history – celebration of the individual, liberty, equality, and the pursuit of happiness. Although his words resonate throughout the Web 2.0 community, what is preached in theory often differs from what is practiced.

This was made evident this past week when it was reported that blogger Kathy Sierra received violent threats that included photos of her with a noose around her neck and muzzle on her mouth. Because of cases like Sierra’s, it’s been said that many women feel reluctant to participate online. That said, I refuse to be one of them.

In 2000, it was reported that female adolescents were the fastest growing population of Internet users. I’m part of that statistic and really proud of it. I’ve frequented chatrooms and message boards since I was 10 years old and because of my father’s work I’ve always been surrounded by computers. I do not fear technology and neither should women.

It breaks my heart when I read about stories like Sierra’s. It makes my blood boil when I read about the aftermath (i.e. women scared to go online). Whether it takes place in the real world or on the Internet, women should never feel like victims. We’re agents in our own destiny and should be determined to remedy the injustices we face on a regular basis. This is the same attitude that needs to be applied to standards offline as well, whether it be arguing for higher salaries in the workplace or telling a guy he’s a chauvinistic pig when he says, “Women are only good for one thing: Cooking, cleaning, and sex.” I swear, if someone ever said that to me, I’d twitter about how small his dick is.

Why should women feel the need to censor themselves or use gender neutral pseudonyms online? Why shut down all operations after encountering harassment?  This is all so sad.  Web 2.0 is all about participation, creativity and collaboration – it’s a shame a handful of assholes have to go ruin the experience.