This is easy for you as a straight man to say. Women who express opinions on the internet put themselves in danger and women who write about sex put themselves up for stalking. I get to be a much more authentic writer because I don't have to worry about my safety or my privacy being violated (although I still use a VPN as extra insurance).

I have no desire to be doxxed, stalked, or threatened and I don't want men who have become enamored of me showing up at my house. I've had several run-ins with creeps already, but at least I could block them and know that they couldn't find my phone number or my address.

Medium writer Jessica Valenti has gotten death threats, and had to leave her home in the past. So has LGBTQ activist James Finn. He told me once that he wished he'd started writing under a pseudonym. Pen names have a long and storied history, and there is no reason at all they should interfere with your brand or other opportunities. But for many people, having some measure of anonymity means that they can bring more of themselves to the table because they know they can do that safely.