Sorry to break your delusion, but there has never been true equality on the internet, it's all just different bubbles, with different discriminations.
If there was discrimination it was because you didn’t contribute, or you opened the discussion. Doxxing in the 90s wasn't a meaningful risk, and social networks were small and largely isolated.
the condescension here is palpable. as if you know more? thanks for your sacrifice: enlightened one.
Didn’t like where you were, there was always somewhere else to go and a new name to take.
Getting access to the internet was a major issue for the poor (a situation I have first-hand experience in)- but once you were in, you were part of the club. Unless you behaved poorly- then you had to make a new name for yourself somewhere else.