Twitter is on the defensive today, after
Fusion reported that the San Francisco-based company hosted a frat-party-themed happy hour on Tuesday afternoon.
Per
Fusion:
The gathering included details like a Twitter-branded beer pong set-up, a keg and a sign in faux-Greek lettering that read “Twitter Frat House.”
Jim Prosser, a spokesperson for Twitter, confirmed that the company-funded frat party had taken place, and issued an apology.
“This social event organized by one team was in poor taste at best, and not reflective of the culture we are building here at Twitter,” Prosser said. “We’ve had discussions internally with the organizing team, and they recognize that this theme was ill-chosen.”
The fact that Twitter is apologizing for "poor taste" in party theme is indicative of a company (and industry) that wants to have its beer pong and drink it too. (Er I mean have its P.R. friendly diversity initiatives and systematically exclude women and people of color too. Or cake. Something about cake.)
Every party at Twitter is a frat party, because Twitter, like much of the rest of the tech industry, chooses to hire an outrageously disproportionate number of men. Twitter shouldn't apologize for holding a happy hour that accurately reflects the
composition of its workplace. Twitter should apologize for the composition of its workplace.
