microsoft Microsoft hires women in schoolgirl outfits to dance at GDC party

[Sylence]

 

Every time you think the era of booth babes has passed, something else comes along to make you wonder whether tech has changed at all.

At Microsoft's official Xbox party on Thursday night at the Game Developer Conference in San Francisco, dancers entertained in tight bra-like tops and fishnet tights. Their short plaid skirts suggested a sort of comely schoolgirl look.

That didn't sit well with some attendees, watchdogs and even company officials who note the display runs contrary to the company's said efforts to be more inclusive and to help elevate women in their careers in technology.

Microsoft didn't say who hired the dancers and even Aaron Greenberg, head of Xbox games marketing, was apparently unaware of what the night had in store.

"Very disappointed to see this, going to follow up with team," Greenberg tweeted on Friday.

The company later took full responsibility.

"We represented Xbox and Microsoft in a way that was not consistent or aligned to our values," Xbox head Phil Spencer said in a statement, referring to the party. "It was unequivocally wrong and will not be tolerated. I know we disappointed many people and I'm personally committed to holding ourselves to higher standards. We must ensure that diversity and inclusion are central to our everyday business and core values. We will do better in the future."

The Twitterverse, of course, was not as formal in its response to the party's entertainment.

Giant Spacekat co-founder Brianna Wu, a game developer who has been vocal about antagonistic attitudes toward women in the industry, tweeted: "Extremely disappointed @Microsoft and @Xbox hired women wearing these outfits to perform at @gd. PLEASE RT."

 

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Kamina Vincent, who attended the party, tweeted that the party cements her place as a customer of rival console Sony PlayStation. She later added: "Making a formal complaint tomorrow. I will not stand for this. I'm trying to encourage women into the industry then this happens."

 

 

 

It seems that no matter how obvious the issue is, some eyes remain closed and some ears remain deaf. For all the necessary and strident conversation about the role of women in technology, there are those who believe nothing has changed and every tech festival still celebrates sausages.

But this was Microsoft, the same company that had, earlier in the conference, sponsored a "Women In Games" lunch.

This is the same Microsoft whose CEO, Satya Nadella, mused that women in tech shouldn't ask for raises, but instead rely on good karma. (He subsequently apologized.)

Microsoft isn't alone in knowing it should address such attitudes. But then someone goes and spoils it all.

I suspect that someone might be dancing on hot coals today.

 

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[Sylence]

feminists.. 

[Fallon]

I see crocodile tears all over the place here. It's all very well that tech companies have to make efforts to be more inclusive and to help elevate women in their careers in technology.  Every modern person will welcome and aplaude such positive actions to give women a more equal role in technology.

But the comparison with 'booth babes' is flawed, because after all an Xbox party is not a Gaming expo in China, but.. a PARTY !
And dancers are perfectly in place at a party. It would not be much fun if they had to wear nuns clothing or burkas, just because part of the male species present exhibits a problem with controlling their hormones in the company of females.

 

'Making a formal complaint tomorrow. I will not stand for this (....)'
'Very disappointed to see this, going to follow up with team (....)'
Ridiculous!

It reminds me of equal nonsense at a Superbowl when senators were outraged afterwards because the performing miss Jackson had showed a nipple for a few seconds. The USA was loosing its values because of it already. As if there were no real problems in the world.

 

If anything male dancers should be added at a Party, and at that point everyone can suck up their sanctimonious reactions of any kind and just enjoy the Party.

[CODYQX4]

Offended? Good. I don't give a damn either way but a lot of these complainers live their lives looking to be offended and I hope their endless tears turns to dehydration.

 

There's much more pressing things in this deranged world to be concerned about than dancers at a party.