is this normal?

[TooPatient]

Yahoo hired lap dancers for their technical conference. Called "hack day". I''ve never been to a technical conference.

Is this normal?


Here is an article with pictures.
hack day with pictures
This is supposed to be a "brainstorming session".

 

[Shoopy]

Did they have any lap dancers for the girls

 

[TooPatient]

Date: 10/20/2009 5:53:01 PM
Author: fiery
Did they have any lap dancers for the girls

That was one of the comments in an article I saw. There were women computer programers there, but only dancers for the men.

 

[kama_s]

I don't get why you're so upset about this? If the staff didn't have an issue, I don't see why anyone else should!

Now, if only Yahoo would hire ME! (jay kay

)

 

[monarch64]

Date: 10/20/2009 7:17:40 PM
Author: kama_s
I don''t get why you''re so upset about this? If the staff didn''t have an issue, I don''t see why anyone else should!

Now, if only Yahoo would hire ME! (jay kay

)

I concur. I think it sets a great precedent. Because I''m now going to ask for male lap dancers during brainstorming meetings in my employer''s offices. Females need inspiration, too!!! ROFL

 

[TooPatient]

I don''t really care much.

It is hugely sexist. There were women there for the conference too. If it is okay to do for the men, why not for the women?


(I don''t agree with such activities at all, but I do think that if it is good for men it is good for women)

 

[LaurenThePartier]

No, it''s not normal across the board, but the tech industry is generally far more accepting of what would normally be a taboo activity at work.

But, those don''t look like "lap dancers" to me, which automatically makes me think *stripper*! They just look like go-go dancers/import car models dancing AROUND the guys. I don''t see any pics of them sitting on laps.

 

[CJ2008]

Unprofessional, to say the least...

If I were one of the women workers there, I'd be annoyed...

ETA: I agree about the apology...it did sound sincere. My comment stands otherwise though.

 

[purrfectpear]

Their apology sounded very sincere. Stuff happens. They screwed up and they owned up. Nuff said.

 

[iheartscience]

Wow! Aside from the obvious sexism of having dancers/go-go girls/whatever you want to call them at a work conference, I would love to know which genius at Yahoo approved that.

I know they apologized purrfectpear, but come on. An apology doesn''t take away the fact that a bunch of the organizers thought that was a good idea.

 

[monarch64]

Date: 10/20/2009 9:21:50 PM
Author: purrfectpear
Their apology sounded very sincere. Stuff happens. They screwed up and they owned up. Nuff said.

PP--I agree, but you know this will cause a ton of controversy and media hoop-la so I''m sure we haven''t heard the end of it. I have to say, though, it was kind of a good move on Yahoo''s part as far as publicity and marketing if you''re of the mind that any pub is good pub.

 

[Puppmom]

Eh, I don''t take myself seriously enough to be offended by this kind of stuff.

"Normal" is relative

 

[iheartscience]

Date: 10/20/2009 9:37:01 PM
Author: puppmom
Eh, I don''t take myself seriously enough to be offended by this kind of stuff.

''Normal'' is relative

I don''t take myself particularly seriously but sexism, racism, etc. does typically offend me. Yahoo isn''t exactly a start up anymore. Aside from the sexism you would think someone would know better. But I guess I''m a humorless feminist like that!

 

[Karl_K]

very common in the tech world once you get outside of older companies like IBM, MS and Intel.
Some of the parties the PC component makers throw are legendary.
Not that I have ever been to one or even want to be at one.

 

[swingirl]

In Silicon Valley this is not uncommon when companies are hosting an event in Asia. But these girls look like Go Go dancers, not lap dancers. Go Go dancers often perform/entertain at trade shows, not unlike the old Auto Show presenters who would stand next to a car to attract an audience.

 

[pennquaker09]

Male dancers are just wrong.

 

[movie zombie]

why are male dancers just wrong?

mz

 

[jewelerman]

Not normal or professional.Lacks good judgement, character and taste.They should have apoligized.

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Date: 10/20/2009 9:42:59 PM
Author: thing2of2

Date: 10/20/2009 9:37:01 PM
Author: puppmom
Eh, I don''t take myself seriously enough to be offended by this kind of stuff.

''Normal'' is relative

I don''t take myself particularly seriously but sexism, racism, etc. does typically offend me. Yahoo isn''t exactly a start up anymore. Aside from the sexism you would think someone would know better. But I guess I''m a humorless feminist like that!

Well, then I guess I''m a humorless feminist too!

 

[sctsbride09]

Um, Im not a prude, but I would have to say I''d be PISSED if the owner of my DH''s company did something like this.

 

[MonkeyPie]

Date: 10/20/2009 8:45:21 PM
Author: LaurenThePartier
No, it''s not normal across the board, but the tech industry is generally far more accepting of what would normally be a taboo activity at work.

But, those don''t look like ''lap dancers'' to me, which automatically makes me think *stripper*! They just look like go-go dancers/import car models dancing AROUND the guys. I don''t see any pics of them sitting on laps.

Ditto this. A stripper would have less clothing...usually lol.

And nobody here knows if the females were asked if they wanted dancers, and they said no. No reason to get all bugged!

 

[purrfectpear]

Date: 10/21/2009 12:57:26 AM
Author: jewelerman
Not normal or professional.Lacks good judgement, character and taste.They should have apoligized.

They did, and I have to say it was one of the better apologies I''ve read. No equivocating at all.

 

[Lauren8211]

I asked DH about this.

He said his head would likely explode if he were in that situation, because when he''s coding, T&A just don''t register. I could walk by nekkie when he''s "in the zone" and it wouldn''t even phase him. He thought it sounded super awkward.

He happily keeps those two worlds apart.

 

[dragonfly411]

just seems unprofessional, but otherwise, I have no issues.

 

[Novel]

Date: 10/21/2009 12:57:26 AM
Author: jewelerman
Not normal or professional.Lacks good judgement, character and taste.They should have apoligized.

Ditto. Bad judgment, I think. And not just because of the women present, but since when is the workplace the place for strippers? Its one thing to go out after as a non-work sanctioned thing, but actually hired by the company? If I were a woman there, I''d feel really uncomfortable that my company spent money on that.

 

[steph72276]

I don't consider myself a prude at all, BUT there is a time and place for things like this, and work just isn't one of them! I would have been offended if I were one of the women from Yahoo being subjected to this and I think they actually have a pretty good case if anyone wanted to file for sexual harassment. I would also like to know what genius thought this was a great idea to do in the first place, but then to post pictures of it? Stupid

Wonder if they had to include dollar bills to tip the girls in the price they company shelled out??

 

[brightlight]

Date: 10/20/2009 5:43:32 PM
Author:TooPatient
Yahoo hired lap dancers for their technical conference. Called ''hack day''. I''ve never been to a technical conference.

Is this normal?


Here is an article with pictures.
hack day with pictures
This is supposed to be a ''brainstorming session''.

My husband and I used to go to several tech/electronics conferences every year, and strippers are common. Prostitutes aren''t uncommon either. Men take off their wedding rings and roam around. My hubby and I work in completely different industries and used to go to a lot of conferences, and I''ve found that work is a small part of the conference. People generally use them as an excuse to party/go on vacation. I didn''t read the article, but it sounds like it was an internal company conference and not an industry conference.

 

[brightlight]

Date: 10/20/2009 5:43:32 PM
Author:TooPatient
Yahoo hired lap dancers for their technical conference. Called ''hack day''. I''ve never been to a technical conference.

Is this normal?


Here is an article with pictures.
hack day with pictures
This is supposed to be a ''brainstorming session''.

Just read the article. Completely NOT surprising.

 

[movie zombie]

i''d be pissed there weren''t male dancers. i''m all for equal opportunity. the company spent $ to benefit one part of the employee population but not the other. if they weren''t willing to get male strippers, then they shouldn''t have gotten the female version.

i''m sure the lesson is learned. as purrfect stated, they have apologized. i''m sure they will regret this for a long time as silicon valley has a memory for these things and they will become the butt of a lot of jokes.

mz

 

[brightlight]

Date: 10/21/2009 11:40:02 AM
Author: movie zombie
i''d be pissed there weren''t male dancers. i''m all for equal opportunity. the company spent $ to benefit one part of the employee population but not the other. if they weren''t willing to get male strippers, then they shouldn''t have gotten the female version.

i''m sure the lesson is learned. as purrfect stated, they have apologized. i''m sure they will regret this for a long time as silicon valley has a memory for these things and they will become the butt of a lot of jokes.

mz

From what I read, this "conference" wasn''t for current employees. It was to attract third parties to come work for/with them. My guess is they only hired female dancers based on the demographics of the attendees. Most were probably men. These girls actually don''t look like strippers to me - just cheesy go-go dancers. I''ve seen worse at clubs. The only lesson learned was to not post pictures. Believe me, this is tame compared to some of the things I''ve seen. A client once insisted that I go to a strip club with him.

I think it''s a reflection of the world we live in. Young women and girls are just so exploited and sexualized. They''re encouraged to wear the shortest skirts and smallest tops they can, they''re encouraged to flash their boobs for beads at Mardi Gras or just because guys want to see them, they''re encouraged to be sexual objects at a young age, high school girls are encouraged to be sexual with each other to please boys, etc, etc. Why doesn''t society teach them to respect themselves?