Staff ’s safety concerns force Google bosses to cancel sexism row ‘clear the air’ meeting
GOOGLE has cancelled an “anti-discrimination” meeting called to address the sexism row that erupted when an employee published a 10-page letter about gender differences amid fears for its employees’ safety.
The search giant called it to discuss discrimination at the firm in the wake of this week’s incident. Google fired 28-year-old engineer James Damore for “perpetuating gender stereotypes” in a 3,000-word memo that called for an end to diversity programmes.
Mr Damore’s supporters have targeted Google employees with online, sexist abuse.
Sundar Pichai, Google’s chief executive, who had returned from holiday early to address the company, said employees felt unsafe and needed a more private forum to discuss the problems. The company said it would “find a better way to help our employees connect and discuss these important issues further”.
The divisive letter to employees has polarised California’s technology industry. Mr Damore, who has denied he believed in gender stereotypes, has attracted a group of vocal online supporters who claim Google is intolerant to conservative opinions. He has responded in a Youtube interview with right-wing hosts and posed for photos outside its offices holding a sign that said “fired for truth” and wearing a T-shirt with an altered logo: “Goolag”.