[alilleybrinker]

Wired should retract this homophobic article.

It takes an issue of people in power abusing that power, and ties it to their sexuality, as if the men abuse their power because they’re gay, or as if straight men never do similarly.

Identifying abusive power structures is good, but writing about it in a way that centers the sexuality of the participants has the effect of demonizing a whole group of people unfairly.

I am appalled that Wired published this.

[Spooky23]

You’re drawing the exact wrong conclusion. Building an old boys network was acknowledged by society as a problem. If I, as a straight white male, started a men’s club, excluded women, and conducted my company’s business there, I would (rightfully) be exposed to a claim of discrimination.

The behavior is the problem. The exclusionary nature of these networks happens to be illegal in many US states, as sexual identity is a protected class. Doing the same nonsense at the Harvard club is equally noxious, not not illegal.

There’s a number of very significant, very problematic power brokers wielding authority in tech companies now. The fact that a significant part of the cohort is gay is irrelevant - the fact they have a clique that is insular and possibly corrupt is. That commonality is no less relevant than the PayPal Mafia.

[wormpilled]

> If I, as a straight white male, started a men’s club, excluded women, and conducted my company’s business there, I would (rightfully) be exposed to a claim of discrimination.

No you wouldn't that's not how it works.

[Spooky23]

I’ll let my mom know - she successfully sued an employer for doing just that.

[4fterd4rk]

Oh come on. I'm a gay guy. This is exactly how gay guys are. Reality is not homophobic.

[Ancapistani]

I’m a straight guy, and this seemed obvious to me.

For what it’s worth, I’ve never felt like I was excluded because of those sort of thing. To be fair, I’m nowhere near the physical fitness/attractiveness standard described here, so I guess it’s possible that’s biased my experience.