An alleged “rape joke” that caused an Apple employee to take a leave of absence due to PTSD and spawned a huge investigation by Mic.com appears to have been an employee mentioning an Internet meme.
Gizmodo reports that the interoffice chat that caused an employee referred to as “Danielle” to email Apple CEO Tim Cook directly about what she believed to be a “very toxic atmosphere” was a coworker referencing the internet meme referred to as “Bed Intruder” featuring an interview with Antoine Dodson. The meme became popular in 2010 following an interview with Dodson about a breaking and entering in the area where Dodson lived which went viral. His turns of phrase and animated actions made him an instant hit across the internet.
Dodson is best known for saying the lines, “He’s climbin in your windows, he’s snatchin your people up, tryna’ rape em so y’all need to hide your kids, hide your wife, and hide your husband cuz they’re rapin’ everybody out here.” This was apparently the reference that caused Apple employee identified only as “Danielle” to have a PTSD episode and take a month off work. Below you can see the group conversation with Danielle and her team in which this internet meme was reference.
Danielle was so upset by this exchange that she felt it necessary not only to bring it to the attention of her manager but to go directly to Apple CEO Tim Cook, this is the email that she sent to the chief executive.
Mr. Cook,
I have been the only woman on the [redacted] Team in the [redacted]organization under [redacted]. [Redacted] is the head of that team, with 30+ people. I have attempted to change this, by trying to alter the recruiting methods, and improve the culture.
Except, yesterday, I was greeted with rape jokes in our work chat.
[Text of the chatlog]
In case you aren’t familiar with the song, the lyrics are like so:
He’s climbin in your windows
He’s snatchin your people up
Tryna rape em so y’all need to
Hide your kids, hide your wife
Hide your kids, hide your wife
Hide your kids, hide your wife
And hide your husband cuz they’re rapin everybody out here
I do not feel safe at a company that tolerates individuals who make rape jokes. [Redacted] I feel *incredibly* unsafe at Apple now. I have tried to escalate to my manager several times that the culture was toxic, yet nothing has appeared to change.
Rape jokes in work chat is basically where I completely draw the limit. I would prefer not for folks to make fun of something, which for me personally has caused me *incredible* trauma, having actually been sexually assaulted in the past.
Danielle was then given a month’s leave of absence from work. However, she was unsatisfied with the actions taken and forwarded the email once again to the rest of her team and CEO Tim Cook with the added paragraph:
So as far as I can tell , nothing of any serious consequence has happened within the last month.
Apparently, I’m supposed to return to work as normal? Nothing changes? I had a month off due to PTSD triggers, and business as usual.
Lovely.
According to Mic.com, this is just one example of a toxic work environment at Apple. One female worker described a boardroom meeting where she was the only woman and claimed that soon enough the casual conversation in the room turned to the men discussing their wives and “stereotyped women as nags.” Following the meeting, while walking through the hallways, a manager allegedly told her to smile.
Another woman claims that while unhappy in her current position and filing reports with Apple to that effect, the company acknowledged that she was in a “hostile working environment” and offered her another position that was lower ranking and lower paid. Another male worker claimed that he was often referred to as overly emotional and told that he was on his “man period.”
Speaking to Gizmodo, an Apple spokesman said that Cook did not personally give Danielle a month off but that the email could have resulted in an “H.R. process.” Another Apple representative said:
Apple is committed to treating everyone with dignity and respect. When we receive complaints or hear that employees are concerned about their work environment, we take it very seriously and we investigate claims thoroughly. If we find behavior to be at odds with our values, we take action. Out of respect for the privacy of our employees, we do not discuss specific matters or their resolution.
Lucas Nolan is a conservative who regularly contributes articles on censorship and free speech to Breitbart. Follow him on Twitter@LucasNolan_ or email him at lucas@yiannopoulos.net
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