It’s not news that Twitter has a woman problem. Not a lack of women Tweeting, but rather a lack of women on the company’s board. Just as they prepare to go public next week, Twitter has found itself at the center of the controversy regarding the overall lack of female representation on the boards of some of the largest players in Silicon Valley.
In an article posted on All Things D, sources indicate that Twitter is going to appoint a woman to the company board, but is planning on waiting until after its IPO, a move that has the National Organization for Women calling on Twitter CEO Dick Costolo to get a woman on the board now.
“The excuse that there aren’t enough qualified women is older than the internet,” said Sonia Ossorio, President of NOW-NYC. “Twitter may be the future of social networking, but the all-male Board of Directors follows an age-old trend of excluding women.”
With a 62% female user base, the absence of a woman on the Twitter board is particularly shocking, and it certainly doesn’t help when flyers with buxom beer babe cartoons are found posted on company bathroom doors. Yep, this tasteless flyer was spotted in the women’s bathroom at Twitter by engineering manager Jill Wetzler, just as Mr. Costolo attempted to defend its board against critics claiming sexism.
In a twist of irony, Jill took to Twitter to share the offensive poster, sparking hundreds of tweets in support of women employees at Twitter.
For a forward thinking company steeped in innovation, Twitter’s actions are more reflective of the dark ages!