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IBM recently apologized to one of its former computer scientists Lynn Conway whom it fired 50 years ago for being trans. When she was fired, she was a nobody and IBM felt that her transition would attract scandalous publicity. Now she's an accomplished award-winning professor. Is IBM playing politics? Was Conway playing politics when she decided to transition?

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/21/business/lynn-conway-ibm-...




Is deciding that you "don't do politics" itself a political statement of accepting the status quo?


On a personal, individual level, I believe yes. Not sure if being a corporate entity changes that though.


> Is IBM playing politics?

It sounds to me like IBM apologized for committing a wrongful termination, so no. Even the staunchest of conservatives would not consider it a "scandal" to have a trans employee in 2020. IBM is just trying to maintain a positive reputation in today's social climate, just like they were doing 50 years ago.

> Was Conway playing politics when she decided to transition?

Conway is a person, not a business, so I'm not sure what this has to do with the conversation about businesses engaging in politics.




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