
David Bonderman resigns from Uber board after sexist remark - erict15
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/13/business/david-bonderman-resigns-from-uber-board-after-sexist-remark.html
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objclxt
It takes a certain kind of idiot to make a sexist remark (even as a joke) in a
meeting about how your company is going to tackle its terrible problem with
sexism.

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throwaway6578
I can't find it now, but there's a video of one of Ben Horowitz's lectures
where he says one benefit of hiring women is that they communicate more openly
and effectively, at least with each other. If a woman feels marginalized by
another woman during a meeting, she's more likely to communicate that and
solve the problem, rather than holding onto it.

I don't know if this is true or not, but since there was no backlash over
this, it goes to show that context and tone influences what's seen as
disparaging.

~~~
mirimir
It's quite a stretch from that sentiment to what Bonderman said.

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bogomipz
>"In a statement, Mr. Bonderman said his comment “came across in a way that
was the opposite of what I intended, but I understand the destructive effect
it had, and I take full responsibility for that.”

Is this just a very selective part of the statement then? Because saying
something wildly inappropriate and "something failing to have its intended
affect" are very different things.

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jshelly
When I saw this I swear I though it was a news story from the Onion

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ceejayoz
The remark was discussed earlier in this (flagged to death) thread:
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14548761](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14548761)

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make3
I really wonder why that got flagged that much. It's like this post, it's
being moderated down super fast. Weird

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Steko
As much as HN has grown in the last decade there's still a sizable
undercurrent of reactionary thinking. Look at the large number of comments
that see nothing wrong with a sexist comment at the big board meeting about
fixing Uber's sexist culture.

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tyingq
Fun that his comment likely will result in more women on that board, and
probably more (substantive) talking.

~~~
mirimir
I hate meetings. I hate people who just love to hear themselves talk.

But, in my experience, it's not women who predominantly do that ;)

~~~
tyingq
Not a meeting fan either, but what else would a board do other than talk?

~~~
mirimir
Yes, talk. But some sorts of talk are more useful than others.

~~~
tyingq
Right...maybe you missed the "substantive" bit?

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mirimir
Sure. But "substantive" can be a value-laden concept.

~~~
tyingq
I think you may have misinterpreted something I wrote. We seem to be saying
the same thing in different ways.

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bogomipz
This seems like a real missed opportunity by the Board of Directors to have
had him replaced(fired?) and put out a press release emphasising that toxic
culture would not be tolerated at any level.

I would be curious to know if he is still entitled to his full Board member
salary.

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krambs
I wonder where the pressure came from that actually made him resign. His firm?

~~~
tyingq
Maybe just the awkward air in the room that he just can't shake. Perhaps the
comment in a different setting would have merited just an apology to the
room...but tossing that out there, in that particular time and place. Just
wow.

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jgrowl
I'm offended that people are offended over a stupid hack joke (It's ok to be
offended).

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woah
Wait... isn't the entire purpose of a board to talk in board meetings? They
certainly aren't driving the cars.

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milesf
The remark:

 _At an Uber staff meeting earlier in the day, Arianna Huffington, another
Uber board member, said one woman on a board often leads to more women joining
a board. Mr. Bonderman responded “that it’s much more likely to be more
talking.”_

Seems ironic that Arianna's own site posted this:

Biological Evidence May Support Idea That Women Talk More Than Men, Study Says
[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/21/women-talk-more-
tha...](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/21/women-talk-more-than-men-
study_n_2734215.html)

Is it not possible to say anything anymore without someone being offended?

~~~
anigbrowl
If you can't say anything without someone getting offended, maybe your
communications stack is out of date.

~~~
milesf
If you can't listen to anything without being offended, maybe your thin
skinned and need to toughen up a bit.

~~~
anigbrowl
Unsupported by the facts.

~~~
milesf
?

