Women and nonbinary people working in technology are encouraged to attend the Grace Hopper Celebration, a four-day conference focused on professional development. Orlando, Florida served as this year’s host city. However, the conference did not achieve its intended outcomes.
According to a LinkedIn post by event organizers AnitaB.org, the concert was dominated by “self-identifying males.” Even though they “expect every attendee […] to uphold and display the behavior that aligns” with their vision and code of conduct, the statement goes on to explain that they “believe that make allyship is necessary.”
Social media videos purportedly from the event showed the males there acting inappropriately. They were witnessed squeezing past female applicants for interviews with recruiters. Hundreds of individuals, mostly men, were in line to meet the hiring representatives from tech giants including Apple, Google, and Amazon. It was joked online that “the Kens had taken over Barbieland.”
The chief impact officer of AnitaB.org, Cullen White, was quoted by NPR as saying that several registrants misled about their gender identities on the registration forms. As he saw them passing out “stacks and stacks of resumes” in an effort to “take up space to try and get jobs,” but told them to “Stop. Right now. Stop.”
However, not everyone understood the predicament the conference planners were in. Somebody on X (the new Twitter) suggested feminists come off as cowardly.
So, what you're saying is that in order for women to succeed, men must sit down? Haha the feminists think they're winning, but men actually look at them as so weak that they need a man's help to succeed. 😂
— Bethany Peabody (@HatchForTexas) October 3, 2023
While appearing on “Outnumbered” on Fox News, guest Ben Ferguson remarked that it was “funny watching a dude yelling about [other] dudes being dudes.” In response to the women who wanted their own event, co-host Emily Compagno quipped, “What do you expect?” Harris Faulkner, the show’s co-host, pointed out that conservatives have been “screaming” for years about men exploiting gender fluidity.
According to AnitaB.org, they cannot legally prevent men from attending the conference.
