Blizzard
You might want to put your flame-retardant clothing, because this is coming in very hot.The State of California filed suit against Activision Blizzard last week over "allegations of rampant sexual discrimination and sexual harassment." Here's the article: Activision Blizzard sued by state agency over alleged widespread discrimination.
Wait, widespread sexual discrimination and sexual harassment in an industry that has had this exact problem since it's inception fifty years ago? How is that possible?
The allegations appear to be well-documented, and they are reprehensible. So Activision responds in an adult, well-spoken way:
Activision Blizzard issued a statement following the lawsuit, going so far as to accuse California State's Department of Fair Employment and Housing of "distorted, and in many cases false, descriptions of Blizzard’s past." After claiming that the DFEH didn't engage in "good faith discussions" prior to filing its suit, it then called the suit "irresponsible behavior from unaccountable State bureaucrats that [is] driving many of the State’s best businesses out of California."
Well, that seems reasonable.
I think libertarianism (and conservatism) have reached the post-principle stage. Their "philosophies" are just invoked by racist, sexist d-bag pricks to justify being racist, sexist, d-bag pricks.
Here's what you say if you actually care:
We are stunned and disappointed to learn of the State of California's lawsuit against us. We have taken concrete steps in the last few years to improve our corporate culture. However, it is clear that we need to undertake a far-reaching evaluation of our working environment, because we don't want our company to be a place where some employees feel they don't belong.
We will be immediately setting up an anonymous channel for all employees to share their experiences in regards to these issues, and there will be an additional and comprehensive investigation of company culture.
That took me five minutes to write. One draft.
Oh, and after you publish that statement, you actually do it. All of it.
I'm just a an old yahoo in an apartment, and yet I'm way better at this than all the strategic flacks that Blizzard gathered in a conference room to hash out their response.
You'd think someone might actually be concerned about that.
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