Not to belabor the point, but the reason saying these things can harm a reputation is that they are bad things to say. They suggest poor character. I go out of my way to avoid people I believe to be sexist or racist.

Not saying offensive things loudly is a good start, but if you want to maximize being a decent human being you should also not discriminate against women quietly -- or at all.

What do you mean?

Specifically, you use the word "bad things to say". Are you arguing that they are incorrect? Or are you simply arguing that they are correct, but admitting their correctness somehow makes you a bad person?

If VCs are obligated to make suboptimal investment decisions (e.g., investing in founders who are less dedicated to the company but have breasts), who else is? Is Joe 401k also a bad human being if he attempts to maximize his returns and doesn't throw his money after feel-good causes?

This brings up another point. Whenever you're dealing with a traditionally stereotyped person/group you get that walking on eggshell feeling. A small mistake, slip of the tongue, can quickly blow out of proportion. This can lead to increased anxiety in an office environment. Which, for creative programmers, leads to decreased communication and a shitty end product.

I've never met a good programmer who liked office politics. We might laugh at the Foosball table, but it's a secret indicator hinting the workplace is low on office politics.

"I'm uncomfortable talking to women or minorities" is a pretty crummy reason to not to hire/invest in them.

> Specifically, you use the word "bad things to say". Are you arguing that they are incorrect? Or are you simply arguing that they are correct, but admitting their correctness somehow makes you a bad person?

I would be richer if I stole all your stuff, sold it on eBay, and executed a cunning cover-up to make it look like you destroyed it yourself in a failed attempt at insurance fraud.

That's a true fact. How would you feel if I seriously proposed it at a business meeting? Being an asshole does not magically become okay if it makes you more money.

You're making a use-mention error. If you proposed actually committing theft/fraud ("use") at a business meeting, I think most people would question your ethics. But if you merely say the the true fact that committing theft/fraud could be lucrative ("mention"), I don't think many people would question your ethics. Of course, that would be an irrelevant and unhelpful thing to randomly say at a business meeting, but that's another matter.

> Of course, that would be an irrelevant and unhelpful thing to randomly say at a business meeting

Now you're getting the idea.

Some would say that failing to disclose an upcoming life altering event to investors prior to taking their money is unethical.

Really? Who says that? Maybe female founders can include a standard disclaimer on their pitch deck: "Warning: founder biologically capable of becoming pregnant"

See my other post about grown-up discourse.

What do you mean?

Oof.

I will think much less of someone who is sexist, whether they express those views softly or loudly. If you can't see why, I'm afraid I don't know what else to say.

It might be productive for you to go think through your views carefully, in particular figuring out what are your underlying values and what are derived conclusions.

That will enable you to go beyond repeating slogans and implying those who disagree with you are assholes while completely dodging their questions.

Slogans?

Discriminating against someone based on their gender is both wrong and, in my opinion, based on fundamentally incorrect assumptions and flawed logic.

I'm fine with disagreement, but I do feel like most misogynists are assholes, yes.

(And if Joe 401k went through his portfolio and divested from female-run or minority-run businesses because he thinks people in those groups are worse leaders, then that suggests to me he might be an asshole, yes.)

I'm still curious whether you think there are beliefs that are both true and sexist, and if so, whether you believe it is "wrong" to hold those beliefs.