
I’m leaving Sleeping Giants, but not because I want to - speaktochris
https://medium.com/@nandoodles/im-leaving-sleeping-giants-but-not-because-i-want-to-d9c4f488642
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jdkdhdndkdkd
This feels very similar to something I experienced when I was in my 20s.

I started, and found funding for, a progressive/activist media project.

After I had found a financer and quit my job, but while the gears were still
spinning up, I was introduced to a well-connected, institutionally-pedigreed
woman around my age who was interested in the same subject matter.

I brought her on board, gave her a non-executive title, and we worked together
for more than a year.

From the word go, she was dissatisfied with the arrangement and made what I
thought were inappropriate requests for autonomy and power sharing. I knew the
structure of our deal was fair and if I was ever inclined to give her more
responsibility, those thoughts were quelled by the combative way she demanded
it. Her delivery was basically “I’m as qualified to run this as you.”

I didn’t cut ties and send her on her way because her presence on our team was
helpful in getting our foot in certain doors. But had she threatened to quit,
I would have let her go - she wasn’t critical to our success.

After a year of planned work, things were mothballed for a while while I had
to take a job, and we parted ways. When I had funds to pick things up again I
did it without her, and she wrote angry screeds like the the article this post
links to, accusing me of being sexist and dishonest.

When I decided not to include her in the second stage of work, I did it in the
belief that she would diminish our chances of success. In the end success was
middling but the project did reach a national audience and win awards and
propel my career. I used to regret not being able to do that without the
drama, but I’ve since become resigned to the fact that with some individuals
it’s unavoidable.

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bobblywobbles
I'm sorry you have to leave the company you started.

In all parts of our lives, we may feel threatened or anxious and so we do
things to take control or push others away. The fact that he couldn't share
the stage with you shows more of him than it does you.

You both hopefully learned some things, but the point of the matter is to not
take this stuff personally - it was meant to be this way. Learn from the past,
but don't dwell on it. We all have a future ahead of us.

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rbecker
> How my white male co-founder gaslighted me

According to this interview, he's Jewish: [https://www.contagious.com/news-
and-views/sleeping-giants-Ma...](https://www.contagious.com/news-and-
views/sleeping-giants-Matt-Rivitz-covid-19-advertising-and-information-
apocalypse)

I wonder what the reaction would be if the subtitle was instead "How my Jewish
male co-founder gaslighted me". Would we be okay with that?

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thekashifmalik
The author's obsession with her cofounder's race and gender seem entirely
irrelevant to this article; repeatedly using the words "white male" is racist
and sexist.

It should be reported to Medium.

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ycombonator
So the “canceller” got cancelled

~~~
thekashifmalik
Haha I don't think it's cancellation if you withdraw yourself.

Solid username BTW.

