Hi @Marie-Louise to your question: "How can networking feel less transactional and in some cases - less discriminatory? How would you approach these spaces? Would you approach them at all?" If you truly feel there is a discrimination issue this networking event is not for you. You can always try and push through and be the bell of the ball if you want, but are these people that you really want to have in your network? You don't want people in your network that only want to get something from you. If you typically feel uncomfortable at networking events go to different types of events, a workshop on something that you are interested in that has a network 15 -30 mins before or after the workshop is a good place to start. You guys are all there to learn something new and are all on the same wave length. It makes it easier to find some camaraderie there.