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This is a really great post, both in the courage it took to write and the logical analysis it provides. I have to provide a bit of mea culpa here. When this is
by morgante 9y ago
This is a really great post, both in the courage it took to write and the logical analysis it provides.
I have to provide a bit of mea culpa here. When this issue first surfaced, I thought it was much more towards the line of flirting which went overboard (to an unacceptable but understandable level). It's much worse than that. This is undoubtably sexual harassment and those differences/nuances matter.
All I can say is that I'm sorry I didn't believe it was more serious when first reported. I know it's difficult, but I wish more women had the courage to come forward with full stories so we could more accurately judge the context and actions involved (ex. with other VCs, like Chris Sacca).
- hn_throwaway_99 9y ago> When this issue first surfaced, I thought it was much more towards the line of flirting which went overboard. "Flirting which goes overboard" is perhaps understandable from a co-worker or peer. It is absolutely, 100% an abuse of power when a VC does it to a potential investee. Imagine it from the woman's point of view. Suppose you had an idea you worked long and hard on, and then when you present it to a VC, he starts flirting with you? What do you do? Are you worried that spurning his advances will jeopardize your potential funding? Worse, it has to be incredibly demoralizing to want to be treated in the basis of your accomplishments but then know the VC is judging you through the primary lens of sex.
- morgante 9y agoI didn't say it was okay or acceptable, but I had a much easier time imagining how a powerful VC ends up making a woman uncomfortable through flirting than full-on sexual assault. Like I said, that was my fault. This is a lot more serious than I first realized when stories surfaced.