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Discussion on: The Enormous Diversity Problem at AWS re:Invent 2017

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ohnonapples profile image
Pine Apple

I agree with the part of "giving someone free tickets". It is great that we strive for diversity. But sometimes the root of the problem is much more deeper. I remember when I was in college, I was one of the 5 female students in the entire class of almost 100. In my case, how could you reach a diversity quota if you don't have enough supply? On the other hand, people make their own choices, we should respect their decisions about what major they choose and what career path they pick. Trying to be diverse just for pure social/political reasons does not seem right to me.

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emlison profile image
Michal Lison

That's right. Before I go see your talk in a conference, I don't want to be wondering if you're there just because you happen to have a different set of genitals than everyone else in the room.

And I do shamefully admit that this has happened to me on few occasions, but not before this whole diversity movement in tech started and companies / event organisers started to be afraid what's gonna happen if they don't fulfil their diversity quota. Shaming people into decisions is something else than having them make a decision on their own.