> So we'll see what we see in every other company now also at Google. No mixed teams.
Do folks really believe that's what gender-balanced work places are like? I used to work at a large New York law firm where 40% of the lawyers were women. All of my teams were mixed, and out of happenstance I spent the bulk of my time working for women partners. Nobody was "terrified" because everyone knew how to act like a professional adult.
I don't dispute your conclusion, but for the sake of argument, how can you be sure nobody was "terrified", given the claim from GP that people would hide their opinions on the matter very carefully?
I guess I don't know if people were secretly terrified of the mixed-gender situation. But the recruiting process at a big firm involves 12 weeks of alcohol-fueled social events, and I saw pretty much everyone participate. People socialized and made friends with people of the opposite gender, as if we were in a first world country where that was okay. And when I started full time, I never saw any friction in the exclusively mixed-gender teams I worked on.
That's a pretty unrealistic black and white picture you're painting. Cultures and groups within a company that are already diverse and are truly merit based aren't going to be bothered by these sorts of events. They're already got their house in order, so to speak.
The people you're describing of being so terrified by these events or adopting unofficial policies against women already had a misogynistic bent. They were already a problem. Them using an event like this to justify their anti-social behavior is typical, but it is not the cause. They weren't accepting bastions of equality until they were frightened into sexism. Putting them on notice isn't the end of the world for anyone.
Whether we appease bigots or confront them, some people are going to be assholes until they die. I'd rather confront them and leave no question about which way the world is going.
