5 ms·
Ask HN: How common is 'reverse discrimination' in the modern tech world?
I can't help but notice how common and acceptable it is for people making hiring decisions to make derogatory comments about candidates for being white males. This also corresponds with the type of posts that to which people in who work HR/People Ops in my LinkedIn feed tend to positively react. Is it just me, or is 'reverse discrimination' ubiquitous and often encouraged among tech companies/startups and even their lead investors?
- RelativeDelta 4y agoIt seems common to me. It's likely to become even more prevalent if ESG quotas/rankings become entrenched into the financial sector which appears possible. Just anecdotally, a coworker of mine was promoted into a role he had no skills or history for (in a completely different department) because the HR head demanded it. We had to hire a second guy to 'train' him into his role but it's been a year and the hire is still the go-to for those role responsibilities. It seems to me to be silly at best and delusional at worst, but who knows. We'll see in the end.
- version_five 4y agoIt's more subtle than that. The superficial nature of the discrimination you're talking about is racial, but in practice I don't think it has a material impact on the racial makeup of companies. Are there really desirable tech jobs where white people are under-represented? What's more insidious is the requirement for people to think or pretend to think in a certain way, meaning pay lip service to the kind of attitude you're talking about. Even if I don't agree with it, I'm much more comfortable being not hired because a minority was prioritized, than being not hired because I don't agree with the orthodoxy around "diversity". Some places make their discrimination explicit, like university jobs that require a diversity statement, others have a diversity interview, etc.
- throwawaysalome 4y agois reverse discrimination ubiquitous It's not ubiquitous, but it is fashionable. It's also safe in that it could slightly elevate but not diminish your gravitas. Go for it!
- orionblastar 4y agoReverse discrimination is still discrimination. Civil Rights Act says race, religion, color, national origin, sex, etc. Not everyone but white men. https://www.dol.gov/agencies/oasam/civil-rights-center/statutes/civil-rights-act-of-1964#:~:text=In%201964%2C%20Congress%20passed%20Public,hiring%2C%20promoting%2C%20and%20firing https://www.dol.gov/agencies/oasam/civil-rights-center/statu... Those laws that say everyone but white people can receive funding are also unconstitutional. I studied employment law and business law which refences civil rights in college.
- wall_fly 4y agoI completely agree -- it doesn't make sense.
- orionblastar 4y agoFree money with the EEOC in a discrimination lawsuit.
- lordkrandel 4y agoNon existent. A figment of antiwoke imaginations
- punkbit 4y agoWow, that's not acceptable at all and they should be exposed. Also, there are people who look caucasian and they're ethnicity (no one cares even) is something else!! Share an example? Ignore those racist bastards and expose the situation