This is the most bizarre thing I’ve seen from a company who should know better. Apple has been under the microscope when it comes to diversity within the company. To their credit, they put out an annual diversity and inclusion report that shows how well it is, or isn’t doing on that front. But all those efforts went straight to hell with one ill advised e-mail from an Apple employee to a reporter that highlighted the fact that at the iPhone 7 event last week, they had a very “diverse” group of people on stage:
There was a lot of diversity on that stage that you didn’t recognize. Unrecognized by you was the fact that we had a gay man, two African-Americans (Instagram and Nike), a Canadian, and a British Woman, Hannah Catmur.
Here’s where the #Fail begins:
- The two black people on stage two were Nike Brand president Trevor Edwards and Instagram head of design Ian Spalter. Neither of them work for Apple.
- The Canadian referred to in the e-mail is Heather Price of Vancover based This Game Studio. She does not work for Apple.
- Hanna Catmur is head of design at ViewRanger. She does not work for Apple.
- Unless the writer of the e-mail is referring to Tim Cook who came out as being gay in 2014, I have no clue who the gay man might be.
So, as far as the person who sent this ill advised e-mail is concerned, four people who don’t work for Apple somehow count towards the diversity numbers at Apple. On top of that, having a Canadian on stage on at an Apple event is somehow diverse?
Quite honestly I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.
I am truly hoping that this is the failings of one Apple employee. Because if it is not, Apple has a much bigger issue with diversity than they thought.