Silicon Valley has churned out solutions for many of society’s problems. But sexism isn’t one of them—especially in its own industry. To fight it, a group of female tech executives has employed a tactic that critics call a step backward: posing in their skivvies.
Underwear brand Dear Kate enlisted female tech-industry leaders to model its Ada Collection, a line named after Ada Lovelace, the 19th-century mathematician often credited as the world’s first computer programmer.
The ads feature the ladies sporting the “high performance underwear for high performance women,” typing away on laptops at the New York City headquarters of fashion website Refinery29.
One image of Quiessence Phillips, an information security professional, in lacy underwear includes this quote: “It is important to have more women in technology because women want to solve different problems—the kind that are life changing,”
Dear Kate has long eschewed traditional lingerie marketing by featuring nontraditional models. This campaign is no different: It portrays ambitious professionals in action. But Elissa Shevinsky, CEO of a tech start-up, is not impressed.
“In Silicon Valley, now more than ever, there is a tension between being seen in a romantic or sexual way and in a professional way,” she told Time. “Presenting yourself undressed has inherently sexual overtones, and undermines being seen as a serious technologist.”
Indeed, there are plenty of storied accounts of sexual harassment in the tech industry. In June, Whitney Wolfe filed a suit accusing her male colleagues at Tinder of sexual harassment and of taking away her title as a cofounder because it “makes the company seem like a joke.”
Shevinsky makes a justifiable point. But are women really the ones who need to watch their actions to avoid being victimized?
According to Phillips—who also mentors middle and high schoolers at Black Girls Code—the campaign could even inspire girls.
“We’re showing that women in tech come in all shapes and sizes,” she told Time.
The more I think about this, the more irritated I get.
And this: "But are women really the ones who need to watch their actions to avoid being victimized?" This just pisses me off. You cannot take a few powerful woman out of the handful that exist in a tightly locked-down boys' club, pose them in underwear, which is inherently sexual because it touches everyone's genitals and more often than not is marketed in the context of getting laid, and then give others the side eye for pointing out that perhaps this is not the best way to fight entrenched sexism.
I have half a mind to hate-tweet all of these women.
The more I think about this, the more irritated I get.
And this: "But are women really the ones who need to watch their actions to avoid being victimized?" This just pisses me off. You cannot take a few powerful woman out of the handful that exist in a tightly locked-down boys' club, pose them in underwear, which is inherently sexual because it touches everyone's genitals and more often than not is marketed in the context of getting laid, and then give others the side eye for pointing out that perhaps this is not the best way to fight entrenched sexism.
I have half a mind to hate-tweet all of these women.
Do Quiessence first.
LOL. I am intrigued by the idea of naming your child after inaction.
"I want to stop sexual harassment and change the way people think in this male-dominated industry. I know! I'll pose for a bunch of pictures in my underwear, that will definitely make all the boys take me seriously!"
Post by decemberwedding07 on Sept 1, 2014 10:21:09 GMT -5
Also, it's completely a coincidence that in the second picture, the lady in the red underwear is sitting in a chair with a solid back, which the woman to her right is in an open-back chair, with her elbows on the table and her back arched. Total coincidence! WOMEN!
"According to Phillips—who also mentors middle and high schoolers at Black Girls Code—the campaign could even inspire girls."
How, exactly?
I mean, a girl at home could achieve typing on a computer in her underwear by setting up a webcam. I'm not sure how this campaign 'inspires girls' to become a high powered tech executive.
I don't know about the rest of you, but when I'm sitting around thinking, "how can I monetize this app and get an angel investor to help me take it to the next level?" I find that nothing helps me overcome my own self-doubt like putting on an unsupportive bra and sassy red boy shorts, and lounging around a conference room with my gal pals.
You know, this made me think about my own hang-ups. I'm fat. I've spent most of my life striving to cover up that my rolls and cellulite, not pose in my underwear for public consumption.
And intellectually, while I can be behind including women of all sizes in ads and think that people of size shouldn't be devalued or dismissed, and that everyone should be proud of who they are....emotionally, I just cringe when I see the large woman in this ad. I'm embarrassed for her.
And then I think, well that's pretty screwed up, because she's not embarrassed so why should I be?
(Leaving aside the whole idea of high tech women in their underwear, which they ALL should be embarrassed about, IMO - this is another issue)
I don't expect anyone to agree with me. I'm mostly thinking out loud; it's interesting that she was included on behalf of people like me, yet my gut reaction is "oh, no....."
It's kind of like that person who think she's being broad minded by including the fat girl in with the skinny girls, without a thought that some invitations might be embarrassing for us. Or the ditzy friend who thinks you're going shopping together but doesn't realize you can't shop in any of the stores she can, because that's never been an issue for her.
But that's just me. This woman was cool with it so more power to her. I wish I could be, but I feel like Carrie's mother's voice is in my head - "They're laughing at you!"
But that's just me. This woman was cool with it so more power to her. I wish I could be, but I feel like Carrie's mother's voice is in my head - "They're laughing at you!"
Aw, sands, I'm sorry. Thank you for sharing your feelings.
You know, this made me think about my own hang-ups. I'm fat. I've spent most of my life striving to cover up that my rolls and cellulite, not pose in my underwear for public consumption.
And intellectually, while I can be behind including women of all sizes in ads and think that people of size shouldn't be devalued or dismissed, and that everyone should be proud of who they are....emotionally, I just cringe when I see the large woman in this ad. I'm embarrassed for her.
See my thought was "oh look, the token fat girl" because, as a larger woman, I feel like it's started to become "oh, we need to put one of "those" women in our ad so *they* don't get offended." Because seriously, they could only find one larger female tech boss who is larger? Riiiight.
But I think this whole thing is really dumb. To me, it feels like this was thought up by one of those guys who think that girls sit around sleepovers in their underwear and then have bouncing filled pillow fights.
Just no. Want to pose in your underwear? More power to you. Don't claim it's some kind of feminist statement, though, because, well, see my first sentence.
What the fuck does "women can come in any size" have to do with succeeding in a STEM field? How is that inspiring to young girls? Because to me it says, "we are smart and successful and we still felt like we had to take our clothes off so men will take us seriously in the work place. "