[mackwic]

I think you highlighted the main issue: it's not sexism, it's simply misplaced.

Would it be 4 women and 4 men, it would still be out of context and not right. I don't know if it's more jackass or more redneck, anyway it's not something that should be encouraged.

[scott_s]

Misplaced sexualization very often is sexism. Sexism is more than singling out a particular person for their gender; it is also presenting an environment that is unwelcoming to those of a particular gender.

[caminante]

It's tricky for corporates to host an uptempo afterparty.

"Booth babes" demoing products are OK during the day, but if you dim the lights, perceptions change.

[robin_reala]

They’re not OK. Why are they OK?

[caminante]

GDC -- the conference -- is NOT a Microsoft event. During the day, many exhibitors have "booth babes" running around exhibits and demo'ing games. [1]

Were you not aware of that?

[1] http://icanwritefunny.blogspot.com/2012/03/gdc-2012-booth-ba...

[tptacek]

"Booth babes" used to be a staple at every conference. Over the last 10 years, they've become sharply disfavored, because staffing your trade show booth with scantily-clad women with no connection to your company is a fucking creepy thing to do.

People still do it, but by this time 5 years from now, everyone who does will be a pariah, trading on shock value. Those people/companies will always exist. Their existence isn't evidence that what they're doing is OK.

[caminante]

Oh, I wholeheartedly agree that they have "creepy" elements.

That said, this sub-thread is more nuanced. This article wasn't written because of "booth babes" offending someone at a conference that Microsoft helped sponsor.