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@wilkie
Created March 21, 2013 23:07
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Open statement to Jim Franklin of SendGrid

To CEO Jim Franklin in response to your statement (available: http://blog.sendgrid.com/a-difficult-situation/)

First, how this looks to me: You responded to a threat by some people on the Internet. You put their consideration and your own above her's. You pushed her out because the threats targeted at her (some absolutely violent) started to overflow on your business. That seems clear.

If you are looking for a developer evangelist to 'unite,' as your statement suggests, this can only be interpreted as somebody that condones the current technology atmosphere. You are setting a terrible example to the tech world that speaking out about an issue is wrong. Specifically, this concerns an under-representated minority of people in this culture, of which you, Jim Franklin, do not belong... and telling them that they must act 'appropriately' as governed by a representative of the majority, you, within the context of inappropriate, unsafe, targeting behavior.

In no way have you opened the door for a woman to represent you. You have closed that door. And have backtracked several decades in professional maturity.

@banister
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I think the emphasis in his post was more on the way she spoke out rather than the fact she spoke out.

In fact the pycon code of conduct has been updated to discourage the kind of public shaming she participated in. cf https://us.pycon.org/2013/about/code-of-conduct/harassment-incidents/

@krainboltgreene
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@banister: That really matters very little.

@banister
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