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If you say anything, it's possible that you would be ending your career. If you do, it is likely that you will be hunting for a new job (and your reputation as

If you say anything, it's possible that you would be ending your career. If you do, it is likely that you will be hunting for a new job (and your reputation as a bigot may follow you unless you move to a new industry, and even then depending on how profile your departure is). This has become a common practice in the tech industry, and unquestioned support is expected at a minimum. If you have non-standard hardware on your body, then you can push back a little, but if not then you best stay quiet. If you continue to push back, depending on how hard you push what you can expect is many awkward conversations, decreasing performance reviews, and career stagnation. Getting to the "next step in the ladder" typically requires you to demonstrate your willingness to implement these policies, let alone simply allowing them. You also need to be careful what you say, as anything you put in writing could come back (potentially out of context) to bite you. You may be recorded a few times in private IRL meetings, so remember that just because it's in a closed-door meeting doesn't mean it is private. I know this sounds paranoid, but I've watched a friend of mine in SV go through this very thing. This is a man who spends his free time volunteering to help underprivileged students learn to code and build robots with raspberry pis in his spare time. I've known him for years and he is not a chauvinist, he just doesn't think it's right to discriminate based on immutable characteristics. I wouldn't worry about any legal liability on your part. IANAL but I'm certain many good lawyers have reviewed the policy as it's fairly common now. I also can't imagine anyone being sued/prosecuted for giving females preference in the tech industry.

raxxorrax 5y ago
At some point you have to stand up for this. Yes, it might cost you, but it is easy to punish companies for their behavior here. SV is still an exception, but I believe companies with such HR policies have a severe problem with drawing talent. While it might be nice to work with more women for once, such discrimination isn't worth it. People supporting this are terribly afraid of dirt and the best strategy is to turn the most ideological followers against them. That isn't as hard as you might believe as everybody will make mistakes at some point.
Deebs12 5y ago
It's gone farther than "if you say anything". I recently got an "improvement needed" evaluation on one of my goals to support the Diversity and Inclusion initiatives of my department. I am a hiring manager, and not only did I abide by all of the guidelines and processes, but I also hired and promoted multiple female and minority applicants at a higher rate than the department as a whole. I still insisted that they were qualified, of course. When I questioned the evaluation, I was told that it wasn't enough to support the initiatives and get the results, but you also "NEED TO BELIEVE IN THEM FULLY". Apparently, my boss believes that I am not in 100% alignment with the philosophies behind them. He's correct in that I do not agree with flagrant discrimination based on sex, race, or any other characteristic, regardless of which direction they are in. I'd fire anyone who discriminated against women, minorities, etc., but if I even SEEM TO QUESTION or be troubled about whether the same shouldn't be done against "some people", then I "need improvement."

raxxorrax 5y ago

At some point you have to stand up for this. Yes, it might cost you, but it is easy to punish companies for their behavior here. SV is still an exception, but I believe companies with such HR policies have a severe problem with drawing talent. While it might be nice to work with more women for once, such discrimination isn't worth it. People supporting this are terribly afraid of dirt and the best strategy is to turn the most ideological followers against them. That isn't as hard as you might believe as everybody will make mistakes at some point.

Deebs12 5y ago

It's gone farther than "if you say anything". I recently got an "improvement needed" evaluation on one of my goals to support the Diversity and Inclusion initiatives of my department. I am a hiring manager, and not only did I abide by all of the guidelines and processes, but I also hired and promoted multiple female and minority applicants at a higher rate than the department as a whole. I still insisted that they were qualified, of course. When I questioned the evaluation, I was told that it wasn't enough to support the initiatives and get the results, but you also "NEED TO BELIEVE IN THEM FULLY". Apparently, my boss believes that I am not in 100% alignment with the philosophies behind them. He's correct in that I do not agree with flagrant discrimination based on sex, race, or any other characteristic, regardless of which direction they are in. I'd fire anyone who discriminated against women, minorities, etc., but if I even SEEM TO QUESTION or be troubled about whether the same shouldn't be done against "some people", then I "need improvement."