Denise Young Smith Takes on New Role as VP of Diversity and Inclusion at Apple

[phillipduran]

The only accurate diversity is diversity of character and experience.

If race, or color is used, that is stereotyping. Do you need Asians because well, Asians bring "x" to the discussion because all those Asians are all alike so we need some of them to provide "x". Same for skin colors or any other superficial human characteristic. Do we need black or brown employees so that we get "y" from black or brown people because only black or brown people have "y". Whatever those x or y characteristics are defined as, you only get that by assuming those races or skin colors are all alike and bring that to the table by the nature of their skin color or race. That is assuming who people are based on skin or race.

I've met bikers who are gentle giants. Dainty women in business suits that are venomous demons. I've seen strong men more feminine than ladies and women who would make me back down from a fight with them. I've seen black people called white and white people who black people say are more black than they are.

So what is diversity? I argue it neither skin color nor race, it is a characteristic that can only be measured by finding out who someone is. I wonder if that is how Apple will add diversity to their company or if they are going to give us numbers in the future that only talk about sex, color or race.

 

[MACelmore]

I normally scroll and keep on moving with my day but the ignorance in this thread is VERY alarming.

A few things:

1) Diversity & Inclusion does NOT mean you have to hire minorities. It encompasses so much, but if we are talking about the interview process, most D&I offices simply want hiring managers to see a number of women and minorities that is proportionate to the public. If 30% of women have degrees similar to the ones Apple looks for, but hiring managers are only seeing 10% of women in interviews, then there could be an issue there.

As far as Apple already being diverse, does anyone on a MR message board have access to their internal numbers? I'm SURE their retail division is super diverse. Is their corporate division? Is their sales division? Open your minds.

Finally, why would any of you hate on the idea of wanting to be inclusive of all cultures? I can't wrap my head around someone simply not wanting to be inclusive of differences in the workplace, so I hope someone can help me out there.

 

[theBostonian]

As someone pointed out above diversity is indeed a code word, but they didn't state explicitly what it's a code word for (Diversity is a code word for anti-white).

Diversity seems to be a bitter medicine for white majority countries, it is never prescribed for countries where whites are a minority. Why don't people bay for Nigeria to become more diverse, or Japan, or Israel? Why are whites continually made to feel like aggressors in their historical homelands?

Perhaps one of the muffin headed virtue signallers can shed some light on this discrepancy.

 

[MACelmore]

As someone pointed out above diversity is indeed a code word, but they didn't state explicitly what it's a code word for (Diversity is a code word for anti-white).

Diversity seems to be a bitter medicine for white majority countries, it is never prescribed for countries where whites are a minority. Why don't people bay for Nigeria to become more diverse, or Japan, or Israel? Why are whites continually made to feel like aggressors in their historical homelands?

Perhaps one of the muffin headed virtue signallers can shed some light on this discrepancy.

America is the historical homeland of white people?

I have some bad news for you...

 

[GermanSuplex]

Why? You need best people for the job that's it. Nothing can be more simple.
[doublepost=1495561574][/doublepost]
Too easy, too logical. Must have drama.

Why? Because of the shades of gray I mentioned.

Here's an example of race on race discrimination, with great irony; remember when Raven Simone said on The View she would freely admit that she wouldn't hire a qualified person of color based on their name?

Diversity (or a lack thereof) isn't always about race; sometimes is based on age, gender, sexual orientation, religion...

 

[MACelmore]

Also, can someone tell me why you are automatically assuming that if Apple doesn't hire a white person, then they weren't the best person for that position?

 

[steve333]

Reason Number 18 why people hate Apple

 

[Reach9]

Preface: I am a non-white, able-bodied, cisgendered straight male, first generation immigrant. (plz let me know if i missed anything else)

Good luck to her in her new role. The constant negative reactions to anything mentioning diversity and inclusion from some on these on these forums prove how much further society has to go on these issues - I for one am glad Apple appears to be paying attention to them.

I believe promoting diversity and inclusion is not only the right thing to, it's the smart thing to do. Wanting Apple to pay more attention to its computers (which I would agree with), or whatever else, doesn't mean they should (or have to) ignore social issues, both within the company and in a wider context - indeed, I believe the two things are complementary, not in opposition.

A diverse and inclusive company is one where ideas and creativity can flow more freely, staff will be happier, and everyone can concentrate on making great products. Isn't that what we all want?

Completely disagree. The constant negative reactions to anything mentioning diversity and inclusion points to a real problem, and that is identity politics. I'm glad to see other 'people of colour' like myself to speak out against this ridiculous idea.

You don't need diversity and inclusivity --at least how it's implemented currently-- to make great products, or a space for ideas and creativity to flow freely. That's an inherently racist and sexist proposition. I'm open to discussion about it if you are.

 

[c0ppo]

You americans have lost it. Completely

A diverse and inclusive company is one where ideas and creativity can flow more freely, staff will be happier, and everyone can concentrate on making great products. Isn't that what we all want?

Any proof of this? Retelling this narrative over and over again won't make it more true.

Don't get me wrong. I really don't care what color of skin you have, or if you are a male of female. I just care that you are the best person for the job. But diversity for the sake of diversity = a joke. And a bit of racist and/or sexist IMO. If you are gonna hire me over another person based on some needed quota of skin color or sex, well, then sir, that is racist and sexist in my book

 

[theBostonian]

America is the historical homeland of white people?

I have some bad news for you...

The United States is a historically white nation, yes. What do you fail to comprehend about that?

 

[NickD73]

Just hire the best candidates and everyone will be happy and better off for it. Apple's PC nature is annoying.

 

[MACelmore]

Preface: I am a non-white, able-bodied, cisgendered straight male, first generation immigrant. (plz let me know if i missed anything else)



Completely disagree. The constant negative reactions to anything mentioning diversity and inclusion points to a real problem, and that is identity politics. I'm glad to see other 'people of colour' like myself to speak out against this ridiculous idea.

You don't need diversity and inclusivity --at least how it's implemented currently-- to make great products, or a space for ideas and creativity to flow freely. That's an inherently racist and sexist proposition. I'm open to discussion about it if you are.

But there are MULTIPLE research articles that prove a correlation of more diverse teams being more creative and more profitable than homogeneous teams.

 

[meteoreos]

As someone pointed out above diversity is indeed a code word, but they didn't state explicitly what it's a code word for (Diversity is a code word for anti-white).

Diversity seems to be a bitter medicine for white majority countries, it is never prescribed for countries where whites are a minority. Why don't people bay for Nigeria to become more diverse, or Japan, or Israel? Why are whites continually made to feel like aggressors in their historical homelands?

Perhaps one of the muffin headed virtue signallers can shed some light on this discrepancy.

The stupidity in this post...it hurts.

 

[steve333]

Apple appeasing their snowflake customers. I don't agree with it, but I get what they're doing. It's marketing.

Yet it also turns off people as well.
I say it's bad marketing

 

[BarracksSi]

It's good that Apple recognizes this issue but this could very well be a PR / marketing move. I think most people have issues is with this role... how exactly will this role help solve our society's problem?

Corporations, when they're big enough, attract attention for the things they do beyond the products they make.

To its credit, Apple acknowledged working conditions at its contracted factories in China and spoke up about pushing for improvements. However, hardly any of the other electronics companies using other suppliers and factories -- maybe some were under the same roof as Apple's production lines -- seemed ready, or even pressured, to do anything until after Apple came forward.

When Tim Cook came out publicly, you can be sure that many LGBT people felt that he showed it is now possible for themselves to reach similar heights. And these are the same people who have been bullied, harrassed, and kicked around, sometimes by members of their own families (let alone coworkers, strangers on the street, cops, landlords, employers, physicians, on and on...).

Bigger picture: Does it seem like when a problem becomes less visible, people think it doesn't exist?

Just because Los Angeles has blue skies today, can it be argued that emissions regulations aren't necessary? Not if you remember what smog-choked L.A. was like fifty years ago. Just because we don't have drinking fountains marked Whites Only, can you say that racism is gone?

 

[NickD73]

Good luck to her in her new role. The constant negative reactions to anything mentioning diversity and inclusion from some on these on these forums prove how much further society has to go on these issues - I for one am glad Apple appears to be paying attention to them.

I believe promoting diversity and inclusion is not only the right thing to, it's the smart thing to do. Wanting Apple to pay more attention to its computers (which I would agree with), or whatever else, doesn't mean they should (or have to) ignore social issues, both within the company and in a wider context - indeed, I believe the two things are complementary, not in opposition.

A diverse and inclusive company is one where ideas and creativity can flow more freely, staff will be happier, and everyone can concentrate on making great products. Isn't that what we all want?

That sounds nice and all, but would you feel the same way if you were having a life-saving surgery performed on yourself or a family member? Would you be concerned if the hospital practiced "diversity," or if they simply employed the best candidates?

 

[Paul Dawkins]

But there are MULTIPLE research articles that prove a correlation of more diverse teams being more creative and more profitable than homogeneous teams.

People bring their expertise and exprience to the table that's why it might me more creative and profitable, not because one guy is black, one brown and one green.

 

[Reach9]

But there are MULTIPLE research articles that prove a correlation of more diverse teams being more creative and more profitable than homogeneous teams.

correlation != causation

 

[MACelmore]

The United States is a historically white nation, yes. What do you fail to comprehend about that?

The United States is a historically white nation, yes. What do you fail to comprehend about that?

So, what about Native Americans?

To answer your original question, this country is founded on racist, sexist, and bigoted systems. Those systems don't just die with time. There is work that needs to be done to break those systems down and create an equitable and inclusive environment for everyone that lives here. I can't comprehend why white people feel personally attacked when minorities want to break down historically racist and sexist systems. It's almost as if you want things to stay the exact same.

 

[friednoodles]

It's funny that people are saying "you should just hire the best person for the job and ignore everything else", because that's exactly one of the things this position is responsible for ensuring happens.

 

[MACelmore]

People bring their expertise and exprience to the table that's why it might me more creative and profitable, not because one guy is black, one brown and one green.

Why are we focusing on race? Diversity refers to race, ethnicity, gender, educational background, sexual orientation, veteran status, disability status, etc. The idea is that a more diverse group (according to the labels above) are more likely to bring new ideas to the table compared to a homogeneous group that is more likely to have similar backgrounds.

 

[TonyC28]

Nothing wrong with encouraging diversity as long as they don't take an affirmative action approach.

 

[MACelmore]

correlation != causation

You're right, but correlational relationships deserve more research, and potential experiments to toy around with them.

 

[Paul Dawkins]

It's funny that people are saying "you should just hire the best person for the job and ignore everything else", because that's exactly one of the things this position is responsible for ensuring happens.

Oh? and before that every person hired was a white male regardless of their qualifications?

 

[Fozziebear71]

Preface: I am a non-white, able-bodied, cisgendered straight male, first generation immigrant. (plz let me know if i missed anything else)



Completely disagree. The constant negative reactions to anything mentioning diversity and inclusion points to a real problem, and that is identity politics. I'm glad to see other 'people of colour' like myself to speak out against this ridiculous idea.

You don't need diversity and inclusivity --at least how it's implemented currently-- to make great products, or a space for ideas and creativity to flow freely. That's an inherently racist and sexist proposition. I'm open to discussion about it if you are.

I don't even know what "cisgendered" means. And, I take great pride in that.