The quote that hit me is, paraphrased, "women have to play the part until they're well known enough to be themselves"
Yes, you have to act strong and confident or else no one from whom you need something will take you seriously. This applies to both men and women, in almost every walk of life. I fail to see a problem here. (Not in general, but that complaint is not well reasoned.)
To back this up from a non-founder perspective, I know lots of women engineers who feel pressure not to dress in feminine ways in the workplace. They're taken less seriously when they wear dresses (even the casual kind that match the usual tech level of formality), have to pitch their voices lower to be paid attention to, etc.
There does seem to be a pushback, though - women dressing femme-er as an intentional attempt to change the workplace culture.
I understand why you think that, but I actually wasn't joking. I believe people should be able to wear what they like.
Good on your game dev friend. That's not an easy thing to do.
Pacific Islander men often wear what we in the West would call a "skirt". This is all just an issue of culture. Our culture isn't necessarily the best, and certainly isn't "the right way".
In the past I have worn a lava lava in the hot Queensland summer. It's great.
Yes, you have to act strong and confident or else no one from whom you need something will take you seriously. This applies to both men and women, in almost every walk of life. I fail to see a problem here. (Not in general, but that complaint is not well reasoned.)