Silicon Valley VC Investigates All-Male Panels with All-Male Panel

Kathy Klotz-Guest
Jul 25, 2017 · 3 min read
Image by Ben Rosett (Unsplash.com)

John Serena, Silicon Valley-based VC and tech entrepreneur-cum-millionaire, announced he was holding an all-male panel to investigate the “all-male panel” widely used in tech circles. “We know it’s used all over. This is the epicenter of Silicon Valley. Heck, we invented it. It’s one of our biggest innovations.”

“We’re tech people here so we like to keep things in-house. So what better way to investigate the all-male panel than with an all-male panel? It’s retro and progressive at the same time,” he articulated using air quotes.

Asked if he sees the irony, he mused, “Well, yeah. I guess so. I hadn’t even thought of it. I mean, women on panels to discuss why there aren’t more women. Hmmm. It seems reasonable. “

Serena insists, however, that there are valid reasons women aren’t on more panels discussing tech, innovation, and investment in Silicon Valley.

“I mean, really, have you ever sat in a panel chair? They hurt,” he said. “There is no way a woman would be comfortable sitting on these. Women’s butts are shapely and soft. These are practically bike seats. So if you think about it, we’re really looking out for them.”

When pressed about why women aren’t even on panels to discuss the issue of women on panels, Serena seemed shocked. “Look, women do all the work back at the office,” he stated directly. “If they were here doing panels and stuff, who would get the real work done? Our offices would literally go to hell in a hand basket if we were in charge. We cannot afford that. Literally. Besides, do you know how hard it is to find qualified women? I am asking. We haven’t tried that hard so I have no idea. We don’t know where to look. Our diversity teams tell us it’s important to keep discussing though, so it seems like we’re doing something.”

I ask him if he has acted on any diversity recommendations. “We’ll have our “diversity team” get back to you,” he mused using air quotes.

Asked about his final thoughts on the Bechdel test for gauging women’s representation on stages and panels, Serena quipped, “’ll have my admin schedule an all-male meeting to discuss.”

**************************************************************

I am a speaker, author (“Stop Boring Me!”- on Amazon), storyteller, improv comic, and creative excavator. I help organizations solve problems creatively and collaboratively with idea orgasms. Getting rid of jargon-monoxide and boring storytelling and content, I also help companies create powerful cultures from the inside-out. I am a fan of good nonsense in the name of creativity. My 8-yr-old thinks I am hilarious. I know that window is closing soon. My company is Keepingithuman.com. Join the community! Follow Kathy on Twitter. Kathy speaks on humor, improvisation, and organizational storytelling and how to generate new ideas. I do also like to write occasionally about serious stuff too. Her livestream show is #yesandbrand and you can catch that on her FB page every Friday at 10AM PDT.

Kathy Klotz-Guest

Written by

Author, speaker, comedian, nerd. I turn teams into storytelling, idea-driven startups . No jargonmonoxide. CEO, keepingithuman.com

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade