Google has fired James Damore, the software engineer on Monday for writing an internal memo that questioned the company’s policies on diversity. His memo claimed that there are fewer women engineers because of their “biological differences”. Damore confirmed that he was fired for “perpetuating gender stereotypes,” Reuters reported.
In an email to staff, Google chief, Sundar Pichai said that parts of the memo violate the firm’s code of conduct and “cross the line by advancing harmful gender stereotypes in our workplace”. He said that the contents of the memo were fair to debate, but to suggest that some staff have traits that “make them less biologically suited to work is offensive and not okay.”
Danore, in a memo, had said, “We need to stop assuming that gender gaps imply sexism.” He added that women prefer jobs in artistic or social areas while men in coding. The memo went viral on August 6, prompting harsh criticism from various quarters.
