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An Apology From TechCrunch

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Re: An Apology From TechCrunch

#51

Post by ng12 »

objclxt wrote: post #21
rfnslyr wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That was absolutely hilarious. I encourage stuff like this. Have a little fun people, nothing to apologize for. Who actually got offended?

You may not have been personally offended, but if you're not able to understand why somebody might have been offended then that really does sum up why lots of people think tech has a problem with misogyny. The fact 'it was a joke' really isn't an excuse...I'd argue it actually makes it worse.

I don't understand why the presentations in question were sexist/mysoginistic. Immature? Yes. Crude? Yes. Probably shouldn't have made it on stage? Yes. Sexist? I'm unconvinced.

I also don't understand why they were only a problem because they were "sexist". The apps were parodying behavior that well... many men engage in -- which is something you can acknowledge regardless of your gender. The immaturity alone should have been grounds for exclusion. Calling them out specifically for sexism seems to be a little heavy handed.

Re: An Apology From TechCrunch

#52

Post by jessedhillon »

I'd like to stem a couple of obvious, but inevitable (for HN and some other tech communities) criticisms that are bound to appear:

1) Yes, this stuff is tasteless and offends the sensibilities of most decent adults. (Invariably, someone likes to point out that it offends everyone, and conclude therefore that it can't be misogynistic)

2) Yes, people differ in their tolerances for crudeness in their humor. First, I think most people can agree that none of this was actually even funny -- as in, these presentations did not successfully execute the elements of humor. Second, a hackathon is not the place to get up on stage and pretend to come on the audience. There's audacity -- which, when coupled with other necessary elements can make for a great presentation -- and there's poor taste.

3) Yes, some women will take particular offense to these presentations and they are justified.

Allowing a couple of dumbasses to get up and laugh about staring at breasts and dropping terrible puns -- even when their presentation is self-deprecating and they hint that they know how crass they are being -- sends the message that the organizers and the audience accept the premise of the presentation: that leering at women's bodies in a completely unaware manner, is acceptable. It's not -- please let there be nobody who contests that point.

(Aside: a woman in a low-cut shirt is not putting her breasts on display for public consumption. And leering is different than looking -- nobody is saying that you aren't allowed to notice the attractiveness of a woman.)

Getting up and pretending to inseminate the audience is just gross, and as an act, it is at the same level as the guy in my seventh grade class who drew a full-page phallus in my yearbook. His excuse is that he was thirteen, and assumed that everyone else was as obsessed with his genitals as he was. That people are laughing about this sends another message, and I can understand if women are more sensitive to that message than men -- who were themselves thirteen y/o males at one time.

I don't know if I've demonstrated why things like this create an environment where it's hard to say, seriously, that women should get into tech.

Re: An Apology From TechCrunch

#53

Post by polemic »

rfnslyr wrote: post #15
WestCoastJustin wrote: post #9

Anyone coming here, wondering what happened, there were two presentation which were clearly inappropriate. First one was an app called TitStare , which allows you to view, upload, and share softcore photos of.. use your imagination. The second, circle shake , was an app to measure how fast you can jerk your wrist, upload and share your scores, accompanied by a pretty wild presentation. I think the first one must have…

That was absolutely hilarious. I encourage stuff like this. Have a little fun people, nothing to apologize for. Who actually got offended?

Please read and understand this: http://therealkatie.net/blog/2012/mar/21/lighten-up/

Re: An Apology From TechCrunch

#54

Post by cpayne »

Swizec wrote: post #47

I've always wondered why in the US everyone loses their shit over a tittie app, but in Europe you can have billboards containing nothing but naked breasts advertising a conference. Source: http://metro.co.uk/2009/09/11/giant-boobs-advert-turns-heads... Related question: would everyone lose their shit if the app was called GuyStare and was aimed at women to look at hot guys?

That's just how the world works. I don't understand some parts of the middle east where men are apparently going to "overcome with lust" if they see a woman's ankle or her hair...

Re: An Apology From TechCrunch

#56

Post by mcantelon »

rfnslyr wrote: post #15
WestCoastJustin wrote: post #9

Anyone coming here, wondering what happened, there were two presentation which were clearly inappropriate. First one was an app called TitStare , which allows you to view, upload, and share softcore photos of.. use your imagination. The second, circle shake , was an app to measure how fast you can jerk your wrist, upload and share your scores, accompanied by a pretty wild presentation. I think the first one must have…

That was absolutely hilarious. I encourage stuff like this. Have a little fun people, nothing to apologize for. Who actually got offended?

Offended? No. More like annoyed by the inappropriate (for the setting), lame humor.

Re: An Apology From TechCrunch

#57

Post by pcerioli »

david_shaw wrote: post #43
yogo wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks for the details. I've never read an article I learned nothing from like that one. Sexism aside, these two presentations are too funny for me not to think they were done intentionally.

> Sexism aside, these two presentations are too funny for me not to think they were done intentionally. As opposed to being done accidentally? These presentations were, of course, intended to be jokes. In fact, I'm sure they were designed to be harmless, unoffensive jokes. Who cares? Children and adults who were rightfully offended were all in the audience. TechCrunch showcasing an app designed to turn objectifying w…

I am a woman and I found them funny, but that is my 2 cents :)

Re: An Apology From TechCrunch

#58

Post by dbecker »

The circle jerk application had overtones that were sexual, not misogynistic.

The presentation may have been inappropriate for this venue, but it's shallow-minded to pretend sexual and sexist are the same thing.

Re: An Apology From TechCrunch

#59

Post by polemic »

farmerjack wrote: post #16

Are people actually outraged? Since when did hacker culture take such a large turn toward political correctness?

Yes, people are actually outraged. Because it's outrageous. This isn't "political correctness", this is "how not to shit on the fellow members of our profession".

Telling people to Lighten Up[1] is not an adequate excuse for shitty behaviour.

1. http://therealkatie.net/blog/2012/mar/21/lighten-up/

Re: An Apology From TechCrunch

#60

Post by david_shaw »

pcerioli wrote: post #57
david_shaw wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Sexism aside, these two presentations are too funny for me not to think they were done intentionally. As opposed to being done accidentally? These presentations were, of course, intended to be jokes. In fact, I'm sure they were designed to be harmless, unoffensive jokes. Who cares? Children and adults who were rightfully offended were all in the audience. TechCrunch showcasing an app designed to turn objectifying w…

I am a woman and I found them funny, but that is my 2 cents :)

Sure, and I'm positive that you weren't alone.

I'm not saying that they shouldn't make joke apps, but TechCrunch should not have let them take the stage.

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