LPT: Change your name to a masculine one on food delivery apps and no moid will try to get you to open your door

And just an overall increase in service quality and respect. My intention was to have my No Contact directions followed, but the increase in service quality took me a bit by surprise and honestly made me a little sad.

I need a lot of delivery food because I have a pain disorder that makes it hard for me to cook many evenings, so it is a life sustaining service for me. The companies don't care, so I have tried many ways to make it work, I still got harassed a lot. This has by far been the most effective.

When I used my real name or just an alteration of it, every second delivery person did one of the following:

-call or text me from their personal phone for "clarification" instead of using the built in messaging in the app. Using flirtatious language or emojis. I called the food delivery companies this happened with, and they informed me that yes, drivers can get our real numbers if they want.

-knock on my door and wait for me to answer even though my instructions are clearly no contact, but they will still insist I open the door, even if I respond through the door to just leave the food.

-Ask me if I'm single

-Tell me that they would like to come inside my apartment

-or just straight up left my food outside in the cold

No one has done even one of these things to "John." And every single driver has thanked me for the tip through the proper channels, whereas that never happened when they thought I was a woman.

Anyways, just thought I'd leave this little story because I have noticed an increase in my quality of life since I've stopped getting harassed at my door for a date by strangers every week.

No one wants to know what John looks like

Edit: I want to make sure that women reading this who are concerned for their privacy are properly educated and aware Just because a company says your data is safe doesn't mean it is.

While there may be some masking technology designed to prevent drivers from getting your number, it doesn't mean they don't have a way to access it anyways. Drivers have their own lines of communication with service agents who communicate directly with drivers. The agents do have access to your information. All drivers have to do is ask, and the agent will give your number. Agents from several companies confirmed this for me, that they personally have given out phone numbers to drivers for claims such as "having trouble getting ahold of the customer" or "customer isn't answering the buzzer."

These companies can both have statements claiming they have a masking service, and also allow their agents to give out your phone number at the same time, and still be operating within policy, because they make their own rules. It will be a less touted policy, but they will have in their Privacy Policy that they have the right to share your personal information for "reasons upholding the quality of customer service" which includes the simple act of being able to reach you if a driver chooses. That's all it takes.

Source: Multiple agents at multiple companies, and I myself am a systems expert.

Tech is still very much like the Wild West out there, they make their own rules, and there is no accountability when it comes to human rights. Just be mindful of how you engage online, and with apps, and decentralize your information as best you can.