iOS Developer/Model Shuts Down Trolls Who Didn’t Believe She Could Code

An iOS app developer and former Victoria’s Secret model hit back after internet trolls questioned her qualifications.

Lyndsey Scott is an iOS programming tutor and a lead software engineer for RallyBound. She’s also a former Victoria’s Secret and Calvin Klein model. And apparently for some people on the internet, that resume was hard to believe.

Instagram account Coding Engineer gave Scott a shoutout over the weekend, listing her various programming languages and captioning the photo “coding is for anyone.”

As you can probably expect from an Instagram comment section, the photo instantly sparked negative comments from trolls.

Several users questioned whether she was actually fluent in coding, while others joked that she only knew how to program “Hello, world” — a notorious beginner’s feat for coders.

Yet another Instagram commenter claimed that while “anyone can write code, not many people can code well.”

While Scott notes that she typically ignores online negativity, she took the opportunity to comment on the Coding Engineer post and shut down her critics. Not by stooping to their level, but simply by stating facts.

“I have 27481 points on StackOverflow; I’m on the iOS tutorial team for RayWendelich.com; I’m the Lead iOS software engineer for @RallyBound, the 841st fastest growing company in the US according to @incmagazine, I have a Bachelor’s degree from Amherst where I double majored in computer science and theater, and I’m able to live my life doing everything I love.”

The STEM industry is, of course, infamous for being male-dominated and biased against women. Whether you believe it or not, women in the tech industry face skepticism and toxicity that their male contemporaries simply don’t.

Scott noted this herself in her response: “Looking at these comments I wonder why 41% of women in technical careers drop out because of a hostile work environment.”

As many people know, arguing with online trolls is typically a fruitless and frustrating proposition. But Scott managed to shut down her detractors elegantly and tactfully.

She added that she wasn’t trying brag by listing her qualifications. Instead, she hopes to “convince at least one negative commenter that programmers can come in all shapes, sizes, genders, races, etc. so they’ll think twice before doubting other women and girls they encounter in tech.”