Post by 2nd Female Uber Employee: 'I Am Not Surprised'

And other reactions to scathing allegations of sexism at ride-sharing company
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 23, 2017 7:27 AM CST
Growing Call for Uber CEO Kalanick to Step Down
In this July 10, 2012, file photo, Uber CEO and co-founder Travis Kalanick arrives at the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference in Sun Valley, Idaho.   (AP Photo/Paul Sakluma, File)

The fallout from Susan Fowler's Uber exposé continues. Fowler's revelations about her "strange, fascinating, and slightly horrifying" stint, including accusations of sexual harassment and sexism, have led to disgusted posts on social media and consumers deleting the app—though Mashable reports an interesting notification informs exiting users that Uber is "deeply hurting" over Fowler's post and that the company finds the alleged actions "abhorrent." Other reaction:

  • The New York Times talked to 30 current and ex-employees to put together a picture of Uber's "aggressive, unrestrained" culture, including allegations of breast-groping, homophobia, and threats of violence.

  • Aimee Lucido, an Uber software engineer, offers an extended take on Medium, noting, "I think this is disgusting and appalling and horrifying and yet I am not surprised at all." She also reveals she's one of "the 60%" … of women who've been "sexually harassed in Silicon Valley."
  • Both Justin Bariso of Inc. and Mashable's Lance Ulanoff have a suggestion for the company: Get rid of CEO Travis Kalanick. Ulanoff, who thinks "offending managers" and the entire HR department should also be cut loose, says Kalanick "always struck me as someone who didn't give a damn," while Bariso speaks directly to the beleaguered exec. "By stepping down, you can show that you're capable of a truly selfless act that can benefit the company," he writes, noting that if Kalanick takes time out to "reflect," he could even return to the Uber helm someday.
  • Kara Swisher agrees Kalanick "has done douche as a tactic very well indeed" in her post for Recode, but it's Fowler's anecdote about the leather jackets Uber wouldn't order for its female employees that Swisher says "drives it all home to a surreal level."
  • Uber board member Arianna Huffington has launched an investigation into what's going on at the company, per the Verge, which has posted the short memo she sent out to Uber employees.
Read the post that started it all. (More Uber stories.)

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