I appreciate Alison's (the columnist's) final sentence. Our admin (yes, a woman) makes our office run. We would be lost without her, but as much as the higher-ups rely on her, they don't promote her because she is "just" an admin. It's disgusting.

As for the LW, she's right that she shouldn't be invited simply because of her gender, and the sexism on display is insulting. However, the LW also makes it clear that she thinks her degree, experience, and creative/tech position make her better than a mere admin—a superior attitude I cannot condone. I wish Alison had addressed this point more directly.