A former Snapchat employee is speaking out about a letter she wrote last year saying parent company Snap Inc. fosters a sexist and toxic workplace culture, as well as an uninviting atmosphere toward people of color.
According to a report from Cheddar, former Snap software engineer Shannon Lubetich relayed this critique to the company in an email to 1,300 engineering colleagues on her last day of work in November. Lubetich’s letter, combined with additional reporting from Cheddar, describes Snap as unwelcoming to women and people of color.
Lubetich told Cheddar that she had specific concerns regarding Snap’s former Senior Vice President of Engineering Tim Sehn, who had left the same month Lubetich did. Lubetich told Cheddar that Sehn had made a penis enlargement joke, and had used the word “retarded” during a meeting in a “joking” manner. The matter was addressed by human resources, though she said Sehn never apologized to the employees.
Lubetich also raised issues over diversity and inclusion, particularly with one company all-hands meeting in September led by all-white-male department heads.
Lubetich also told Cheddar that during her employment, from 2016, she witnessed “macho competitions and male-dominated turf wars” between managers and employees, though she did not report them to human resources at the time. Male co-workers boasted when they took few days off for the birth of their children and did push-up competitions in the office, she said. She also mentioned “boys’ night” co-ed soccer league events and alcohol-supplied hot tub parties after hours.
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Cheddar also reported that at a summer party last year, Snap hired “hired scantily clad women” in costumes similar to Snapchat’s popular deer filter to offer appetizers and pose for pictures. Snap’s Vice President of Communications Mary Ritti told Cheddar that Co-Founder Evan Spiegel “reported feeling uncomfortable” about the models after the fact.
In response to Cheddar’s report, Snap shared some figures on its women-held roles but did not publicly release its diversity reports. Snap reported that 13 percent of its technology-related roles are filled by women, while 22 percent of its directors and more senior managers are women. Additionally, five of the more than two-dozen vice presidents and above are women, while Snap’s seven-person board only has one woman.
Snap’s Senior Vice President of Engineering Jerry Hunter said in an email to Cheddar that he appreciated Lubetich speaking up, but did not deny Lubetich’s critiques.
“We’ve worked hard to make Snap a place where everyone feels respected and everyone can grow,” Hunter said. “I’m excited about the progress that we have made this year, but know that we certainly have more work to do.”
Here is Lubetich’s email in full:
The time for my (and I guess Tim’s) departure is near, so I wanted to send some reminders.
An engineer can be Kind Compassionate Collaborative Outgoing, extroverted Loving, warm, friendly A person who takes more than 2 days off when their child is born A person who isn’t straight, or doesn’t want to get married and have kids A person who doesn’t drink Red Bull or alcohol A person who admits that they’re wrong A person who loves Council A person of color A woman
It’s fine if this list doesn’t describe you. But it’s not fine if you think, consciously or subconsciously, that these traits prevent you from being a good engineer.
It is my deepest hope that this company can be a place that is kind, smart, and creative. I’m just done fighting for it when very few other people seem to care.
All the best for snap,
Shannon
Here is Hunter’s full response which he sent the same day, below:
Shannon,
Thank you for sending this note. I’m glad I had a chance to meet with you recently and what we had a chance to discuss Snapchat. I’m sorry we didn’t get a chance to spend more time together.
I mentioned that I participate in a Women in Engineering group. The leaders in that group and I are committed to making Snapchat an even more inclusive place and I’m sorry that you won’t be there to add your voice to our journey. But I know you’ll be there in spirit. And I wish you the best of luck!
I’d also like everyone on this thread to understand that I take inclusion at Snapchat very seriously. I know many of you are doing work to make Snap better. If you are interested in learning more about what we are doing, let us know. I and the leaders in the Women in Engineering group would love to hear your thoughts and ideas.
Thanks
H/T the Verge