Ellen Pao Loses Lawsuit, But May Have Won PR Battle For Gender Equality

Though Silicon Valley venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins was cleared of all charges in former employee Ellen Pao’s sex discrimination lawsuit, many in the tech industry say the suit has served as a tipping point for recognition of gender bias common in the industry. The Pao case may have done for “subtle sexism” what Anita Hill did for overt sexual harassment, says New York Times writer Claire Cain Miller. Some data suggests that women fare better at companies, sometimes older companies, with more formal processes in place, and that Silicon Valley’s more informal workplace environments may allow gender inequities to develop unchecked and become entrenched.