The managing director of mega-investment firm Thiel Capital has insinuated that “complaining to HR” is a “path to financial freedom” for women in STEM—and his critics could not disagree more.
On Monday, Google fired an employee who penned an anti-diversity memo justifying the gender pay gap in technology as a result of biological differences. In responding to Google’s actions, Eric Weinstein, a self-described dad and employee of billionaire Peter Thiel, tweeted that Google valued employee’s work less than their HR complaints.
“Dear @Google, Stop teaching my girl that her path to financial freedom lies not in coding but in complaining to HR,” Weinstein wrote. “Thx in advance, A dad.”
Dear @Google,
— Eric Weinstein (@EricRWeinstein) August 8, 2017
Stop teaching my girl that her path to financial freedom lies not in coding but in complaining to HR.
Thx in advance,
A dad
Yes, it’s a scalding take that attempts to uplift girls interested in STEM while also painting Google as a perpetrator of gender bias. However, many critics took issue with Weinstein’s implication that “complaining to HR” was invaluable and only done by women looking to make money off a company, instead of done to investigate a workplace discrepancy, be it financial, harassment-related, or otherwise.
Dude. The reason we want workplaces free of discrimination is so we can focus on our actual damn jobs.
— Jen Dziura (@jendziura) August 8, 2017
I went to HR for a guy who harassed me. It took 3 more women for him to get fired. That's why I work for myself. You don't know. LEARN.
— MJA (@MJADetBos) August 8, 2017
https://twitter.com/OldATXMonster/status/894784070021816321
https://twitter.com/jkfecke/status/894790181802229762
you must be seriously misguided to think this is the lesson here. I hope your girl is not afraid to defend herself, via HR if need be.
— Dr. Jackson (@cowtowncoder) August 8, 2017
Yeah, just tell her to suck it up when denied promotion because no testicles. Bros in charge always got room for girls doing work at bottom.
— Boycott Fox (@AndNotIf) August 8, 2017
https://twitter.com/TheGodlessMama/status/894948236468858880
https://twitter.com/andreagrimes/status/894780181365248001
https://twitter.com/espiers/status/894782533208068096
WAT. Who's getting fantastically rich from reporting creeps to HR? @susanthesquark can you tell us how many millions you got?! 🙄 https://t.co/CTZ8mTUPhC
— DHH (@dhh) August 8, 2017
Others chose to make an example of Weinstein’s employer and Thiel’s attitude toward women, as evidenced by this bad tweet.
"Complaining to HR" – from a prominent VC speaks volumes about SV disdain for the function, explains why so many tech startups avoid it. https://t.co/VNBD68JWYw
— MichelleRafter (@MichelleRafter) August 8, 2017
"additionally, my boss doesn't think she should be able to vote, and he stole her blood, and i just STOOD there, oh god, i just STOOD TH https://t.co/iYa8Sn5Gv7
— 10,000 Motivated Rats (@bombsfall) August 8, 2017
https://twitter.com/samfbiddle/status/894935015632535556
https://twitter.com/davidbix/status/894920357051813888
Weinstein tried to clarify his point by equating “complaining to HR” to the backlash that families get when they complain to schools that their kids are being bullied… for being mixed race? It’s a weird comparison to make, because the point stands that anyone who comes forward with evidence of racial or gender discrimination shouldn’t be persecuted, but sure.
Ever watch mixed-race kids made to cry for not being brown enough? Family bullied for standing up to racism? It doesn't mean what you think. https://t.co/YB8liJkrgA
— Eric Weinstein (@EricRWeinstein) August 8, 2017
The attempt at justification, however, just brought out another horde, this time of parents of people or people of mixed race, who demanded to know what the hell Weinstein was talking about.
https://twitter.com/ryanseay/status/894882119037714433
https://twitter.com/uncapybarable/status/894927117292589056
https://twitter.com/theaapeterson/status/894807126467518464
https://twitter.com/earthyalchemist/status/894904381220413441
But don’t worry, folks. Weinstein voted for Bernie and still “fights” for women in tech, no matter what his critics think.
I mean … uh … I voted for Bernie … before I voted for HRC. And I fight for women in tech fields because we need them. Is this April 1? https://t.co/HddV0LPDXj
— Eric Weinstein (@EricRWeinstein) August 8, 2017