4 ms·

How a DIY YouTuber became the target of a sexist conspiracy theory

27 points by lnguyen 9y ago

jmcqk6 9y ago
WTF is wrong with people. I watched one of her videos, and I saw a mind a work. It definitely didn't occur to me to question her credentials or abilities - they were plain to see. I see that Dale has issued an apology, but the damage has been done, and will continue anyway. When you contribute to bullshit there are ongoing consequences and no apology will make those consequences disappear. I know I'm going to be approaching my support for him and Make in general with much more skepticism and trepidation moving forward.
- Chris2048 9y ago
  What do you mean "I saw a mind a[t] work"? What did you see in her video?
  - jmcqk6 9y ago
    In general, a mind at work is analyzing problems, being creative, combining old ideas into new ideas, planning for the future and in general actively engaging the world. This is contrasted against more passive thinking. For example, complaining about something instead of actually doing something about it.
  - 28mm 9y ago
    Her videos show her engaged with various hardware projects-- making them and explaining them. The article concerns the slander that these projects aren't hers; that she is merely a mascot presenting the work of her (male, engineer) boyfriend. To notice "a mind at work" in the videos, is to suggest that the videos are her authentic work.
Vaskivo 9y ago
Although a different article, it discusses the same event: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15653353 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15653353 (And am I the only one hating this headline?)
forkLding 9y ago
HN is one of the places Ive encountered people trashtalking and saying that shes a fake, I remember commenting that I was a fan of Naomi and really enjoyed her reviews of Shenzhen electronics a year ago and got a lot of responses hating on her. Issue is why dont we doubt other people who could also just have downloaded instructions off the internet and then just did that or even never show their making process but doubt Naomi?
- cisanti 9y ago
  I don't have an idea about her being fake or not, but it's obvious it's the sexuality that she is promoting her videos with that draws the attention. It's very obvious that majority of the people come because of the fake tits and she knows it very well too. Just looking at the click bait YouTube thumbnails tells you that.
  - forkLding 9y ago
    Issue about sexuality and her breast enhancements is that was her choice and she had those done before her videos as part of her body modification, honestly to me they just look sort of disturbing but to each their own. Im not interested in saying what is overly sexual or not else I end up like those schools banning short skirts. I watch her vids cos I support her as a female maker.
    - cisanti 9y ago
      I'm cool with her brests too, but just tried to give suggestions why did it get so much attention and doxxing. More power to her, but you can't deny she is trying to sell the makers culture by using them. But maybe in the end it's good? Young Boys start to tinker because of that and Girls because she can be a role model? (you can debate about the latter)
badrabbit 9y ago
A person shouldn't have to prove they're not fake,the person making the accusation needs to backup his statement with proof(not speculation). Obviously,there is no reason to even give ear to accusations against her. But,I do have something against using your sex appeal and good looks to get more views,support,etc... A woman wearing skimpy dress,cleavage or breast accentuating(?) Top is just as inappropriate as a topless muscular guy wearing only a speedo and his privates bulging out while making similar tech videos. There are times and places to display what an awesome body you have and how sexy you are(for any gender) That being said,this slander,gossip and spreading false rumors is a terrible thing. Even if she was a "fake" it would still be an unethical and inappropriate response. Frankly,I think the people spreading the rumors are displaying nothing more than their own insecurity.
- LeoJiWoo 9y ago
  I don't like the sexual objectification in her pr at all, and I read her explanation of her clothing choices, which sounds like baloney. I'm half-chinese (100% asian though :) ), My parent said dressing like that IS socially frowned on there, and they doubt it would ever get more liberal under Xi. I don't believe sexycyborg completely to be honest. Her talk about china seems all wrong according to my parents who spent the first 35 years of their life there. I REALLY don't want my daughter to think, she has to get a breast augmentation just to be popular on tech and youtube. youtube has enough videos of girls getting and talking about plastic surgeries. This whole thing reeks on both sides.
  - badrabbit 9y ago
    Yeah, I don't have a problem with women in tech at all. They shouldn't have to sexualize themselves for success. Plenty of smart women (including likely the subject of the article) where their work is more than enough to compete with any man's work.
- mikestew 9y ago
  There are times and places to display what an awesome body you have and how sexy you are(for any gender) Never heard of her, never watched her before today. Might as well fire up a video for context, and who knows, I might like it. And I'm immediately met with a graphic of a woman with her pants about to fall off. I will always have trouble taking this channel seriously because of that. A logo says, "this is what we as an entity want you to focus on". Maybe it's IBM wanting you to just know those letters. Maybe it's Stewart Anderson's restaurant with a silhouette of a cowboy: "steaks like they were walking in a pasture right before you placed your order". And in this case: "wanna see a girl with her pants on the verge of being at her ankles, and maybe some side boob?" Meh, whatever, I for sure have made some poor graphical choices in my life. The video was an interview with some random guy, with her sitting there in a t-shirt cut just below the nipple. All that tells me is, "the content will be weak, so here's a cute girl in a crop top in case you get bored." To me, it's just as non-sensical as a Snap-On tool calendar with bikini-clad women with manicured nails holding an impact wrench. I am confident that those nails have never been with three feet of a lug nut. OTOH, there's no guarantee that she didn't slap on some artificial nails before the photo shoot, after she got off her shift at Firestone auto repair. Same with the YouTuber woman: her presentation makes it difficult for me to take her seriously, but until presented with solid evidence to the contrary I have no reason to believe the trolls, upon whom the burden of proof rests. Because scantily-clad though she may be, my personal dislike of the presentation doesn't disqualify her from having some "maker chops".

27 points by lnguyen 9y ago

WTF is wrong with people. I watched one of her videos, and I saw a mind a work. It definitely didn't occur to me to question her credentials or abilities - they were plain to see. I see that Dale has issued an apology, but the damage has been done, and will continue anyway. When you contribute to bullshit there are ongoing consequences and no apology will make those consequences disappear. I know I'm going to be approaching my support for him and Make in general with much more skepticism and trepidation moving forward.

Chris2048 9y ago
What do you mean "I saw a mind a[t] work"? What did you see in her video?
- jmcqk6 9y ago
  In general, a mind at work is analyzing problems, being creative, combining old ideas into new ideas, planning for the future and in general actively engaging the world. This is contrasted against more passive thinking. For example, complaining about something instead of actually doing something about it.
- 28mm 9y ago
  Her videos show her engaged with various hardware projects-- making them and explaining them. The article concerns the slander that these projects aren't hers; that she is merely a mascot presenting the work of her (male, engineer) boyfriend. To notice "a mind at work" in the videos, is to suggest that the videos are her authentic work.

Vaskivo 9y ago

Although a different article, it discusses the same event: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15653353 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15653353 (And am I the only one hating this headline?)

forkLding 9y ago

HN is one of the places Ive encountered people trashtalking and saying that shes a fake, I remember commenting that I was a fan of Naomi and really enjoyed her reviews of Shenzhen electronics a year ago and got a lot of responses hating on her. Issue is why dont we doubt other people who could also just have downloaded instructions off the internet and then just did that or even never show their making process but doubt Naomi?

cisanti 9y ago
I don't have an idea about her being fake or not, but it's obvious it's the sexuality that she is promoting her videos with that draws the attention. It's very obvious that majority of the people come because of the fake tits and she knows it very well too. Just looking at the click bait YouTube thumbnails tells you that.
- forkLding 9y ago
  Issue about sexuality and her breast enhancements is that was her choice and she had those done before her videos as part of her body modification, honestly to me they just look sort of disturbing but to each their own. Im not interested in saying what is overly sexual or not else I end up like those schools banning short skirts. I watch her vids cos I support her as a female maker.
  - cisanti 9y ago
    I'm cool with her brests too, but just tried to give suggestions why did it get so much attention and doxxing. More power to her, but you can't deny she is trying to sell the makers culture by using them. But maybe in the end it's good? Young Boys start to tinker because of that and Girls because she can be a role model? (you can debate about the latter)

badrabbit 9y ago

A person shouldn't have to prove they're not fake,the person making the accusation needs to backup his statement with proof(not speculation). Obviously,there is no reason to even give ear to accusations against her. But,I do have something against using your sex appeal and good looks to get more views,support,etc... A woman wearing skimpy dress,cleavage or breast accentuating(?) Top is just as inappropriate as a topless muscular guy wearing only a speedo and his privates bulging out while making similar tech videos. There are times and places to display what an awesome body you have and how sexy you are(for any gender) That being said,this slander,gossip and spreading false rumors is a terrible thing. Even if she was a "fake" it would still be an unethical and inappropriate response. Frankly,I think the people spreading the rumors are displaying nothing more than their own insecurity.

LeoJiWoo 9y ago
I don't like the sexual objectification in her pr at all, and I read her explanation of her clothing choices, which sounds like baloney. I'm half-chinese (100% asian though :) ), My parent said dressing like that IS socially frowned on there, and they doubt it would ever get more liberal under Xi. I don't believe sexycyborg completely to be honest. Her talk about china seems all wrong according to my parents who spent the first 35 years of their life there. I REALLY don't want my daughter to think, she has to get a breast augmentation just to be popular on tech and youtube. youtube has enough videos of girls getting and talking about plastic surgeries. This whole thing reeks on both sides.
- badrabbit 9y ago
  Yeah, I don't have a problem with women in tech at all. They shouldn't have to sexualize themselves for success. Plenty of smart women (including likely the subject of the article) where their work is more than enough to compete with any man's work.
mikestew 9y ago
There are times and places to display what an awesome body you have and how sexy you are(for any gender) Never heard of her, never watched her before today. Might as well fire up a video for context, and who knows, I might like it. And I'm immediately met with a graphic of a woman with her pants about to fall off. I will always have trouble taking this channel seriously because of that. A logo says, "this is what we as an entity want you to focus on". Maybe it's IBM wanting you to just know those letters. Maybe it's Stewart Anderson's restaurant with a silhouette of a cowboy: "steaks like they were walking in a pasture right before you placed your order". And in this case: "wanna see a girl with her pants on the verge of being at her ankles, and maybe some side boob?" Meh, whatever, I for sure have made some poor graphical choices in my life. The video was an interview with some random guy, with her sitting there in a t-shirt cut just below the nipple. All that tells me is, "the content will be weak, so here's a cute girl in a crop top in case you get bored." To me, it's just as non-sensical as a Snap-On tool calendar with bikini-clad women with manicured nails holding an impact wrench. I am confident that those nails have never been with three feet of a lug nut. OTOH, there's no guarantee that she didn't slap on some artificial nails before the photo shoot, after she got off her shift at Firestone auto repair. Same with the YouTuber woman: her presentation makes it difficult for me to take her seriously, but until presented with solid evidence to the contrary I have no reason to believe the trolls, upon whom the burden of proof rests. Because scantily-clad though she may be, my personal dislike of the presentation doesn't disqualify her from having some "maker chops".