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28/08/2019 React accused of being pro-toxic masculinity; Tatiana Mac quits industry, Dan Abramov & Ken Wheeler
p; Ken Wheeler quit Twitter | Packt Hub
React accused of being pro-toxic masculinity;

Tatiana Mac quits industry, Dan Abramov &
Ken Wheeler quit Twitter
By Sugandha Lahoti - August 27, 2019 - 3:10 am
8 min read
On Thursday last week, a Twitter account that goes by the name @heydonworks
posted a tweet stating that “Vue developers like cooking/quiet activities and
React developers like trump, guns, weightlifting and being “bros”. He also talked
about the rising number of super conservative React dev accounts.
@heydon@mastodon.social
@heydonworks
What do you like to do when you're not coding?

Vue-based developer: I am fond of cooking, getting stuck into a
good graphic novel and—
React-based developer: WEIGHTS. BROING DOWN. MORE
WEIGHTS. TRUMP. WEIGHTS. GUNS. THE FREE MARKET.
263 3:54 PM - Aug 22, 2019
139 people are talking about this
This trolling was disapproved by people of both React and the Vue communities.
@heydon@mastodon.social @heydonworks · Aug 22, 2019

Vue-based developer: I am fond of cooking, getting stuck into a good
graphic novel and—
https://hub.packtpub.com/react-accused-of-being-pro-toxic-masculinity-tatiana-mac-quits-industry/ 1/8
28/08/2019 React accused of being pro-toxic masculinity; Tatiana Mac quits industry, Dan Abramov & Ken Wheeler quit Twitter | Packt Hub
matt.js
@mattisadev
Don't personally know a single React developer that is like this.
And then last thing I'd do as a React developer is talk poorly about
Vue developers.
Front end development isn't a competition.

43 12:20 AM - Aug 23, 2019
See matt.js's other Tweets
@heydon@mastodon.social @heydonworks · Aug 22, 2019

Vue-based developer: I am fond of cooking, getting stuck into a good
graphic novel and—
Nuno Santos
@nsantos_pessoal
Don't know what motivates this need to catalog people. But I know
that his rarely ends well. And for newbies this must be scarry to
watch. Sorry, good people code in Vue, good p ople code in react,
bad people code in Vue, bad people code in react. We're all
different.
20 12:05 AM - Aug 23, 2019
See Nuno Santos's other Tweets
Later heydonworks tweeted that his post was supposed to highlight thousands
of people who are sometimes eclipsed by an aggressive and vocal toxic minority.
He further asked Dan Abramov, React co-founder, “Perhaps a public disowning
of the neocon / supremacist contingent on your part would land better than my
crappy joke?”
Dan Abramov @dan_abramov · Aug 22, 2019

Replying to @heydonworks
I know you mean it as a form of humour but there’s hundreds of
thousands React users you’re erasing with these generalizations.
Please be kind to reconsider.
@heydonworks
Hundreds of thousands sometimes eclipsed by an aggressive and

vocal toxic minority. The form of humour ('joke') was supposed to
highlight that. Perhaps a public disowning of the neocon /

supremacist contingent on your part would land better than my
crappy joke?
21 1:40 AM - Aug 23, 2019
See @heydon@mastodon.social's other Tweets
He also clarified how he wanted to paint a picture of what React would be like if
it was taken over by hypermasculine conservatives. “I admit it’s not obvious”,
he tweeted, “but I am on your side. I don’t want that to happen and the joke
was meant as a warning.”
heydonworks also accused Ken Wheeler, well known React Developer, of playing
“the circle game” at a React conference. The Circle Game is an activity where
one person makes a “circle” with their fingers and holds it below their waist,
convincing a second person to look at it. If the second person looks, they
receive a punch to the shoulder. The circle game gesture is similar to the “Okay
Hand Gesture” that has become a symbol amongst white supremacists. Later
heydonworks deleted this tweet and followed with an apology admitting that he
was wrong to accuse Ken of sporting the said symbol.
@heydonworks
To be clear: @ken_wheeler did not throw the white power symbol at

React Rally just recently. I misunderstood. There was a discussion
AT this React Rally about his previous behaviour. I was wrong, and
have done my best to clarify, and have now deleted that tweet.
136 5:44 AM - Aug 25, 2019
He later urged people to retweet it, saying he made a big mistake.
This conversation has divided people into two groups. Those who support
heydonworks and are fighting how the symbol, no matter what its intention
was, is scary to minority groups and certain people were harmed over it. The
other group brushed it off saying that the ‘circle game’ is only a game and was
not intended to be shown off as a white supremacy symbolism.
Ken Wheeler’s behavior is toxic towards

marginalized groups
In support of the React community dealing with toxic culture, a subtweet was
later tweeted which was directed at Ken Wheeler describing how his behavior is
viewed as toxic by marginalized people.
Nat Alison
@tesseralis
I muted so-and-so a long time ago for making a transphobic joke

and generally being an asshole bro twitter.com/malchata/statu…
Jeremy Wagner @malchata

Replying to @malchata
I'm tired of saying "so-and-so's a good guy", when so-and-so's not given
me any reason to believe they actually are, because they refuse to
confront and denounce toxic behavior within their own spheres.
62 8:00 AM - Aug 24, 2019
See Nat Alison's other Tweets
The thread said, “Remember that fascists and abusers can often seem like
normal people to everyone but the people that they’re harming.”
Others also shared a similar opinion, “I’m tired of saying “so-and-so’s a good
guy”, when so-and-so’s not given me any reason to believe they actually are,
because they refuse to confront and denounce toxic behavior within their own
spheres.”
Jeremy Wagner @malchata · Aug 23, 2019

Given the amount of toxicity I've witnessed in tech, I'll just say it: your
associations with people matter to me.
If you befriend those who refuse to acknowledge the systemic

injustices our industry perpetrates on vulnerable people in this
community, then we cannot be friends.
Jeremy Wagner
@malchata
I'm tired of saying "so-and-so's a good guy", when so-and-so's not

given me any reason to believe they actually are, because they
refuse to confront and denounce toxic behavior within their own
spheres.
82 1:44 AM - Aug 23, 2019
See Jeremy Wagner's other Tweets
Web designer Tatiana Mac quits the tech

industry following the React controversy
Well-respected web designer Tatiana Mac lashed out on people who are more
interested in protecting the reputation of a framework than listening to multiply
marginalized people.
Tatiana Mac
@TatianaTMac
TIL: People care more about protecting the reputation of a

**framework** than listening to **multiply marginalised** people that
you have actual **white supremacists** in your niche community
and our broader community.
I’m not going to ignore that fact; my safety depends on it.

438 6:49 PM - Aug 23, 2019
She adds, “I don’t perceive this problem in the other JS framework communities
as intensively. Do White Supremacists exist in other frameworks? Likely. But
there is a multiplier/feeder here that is systemically baked. That’s what I want
analysed by the most ardent supporters of the community.”
She says that even after bringing this issue multiple times, she has been
ignored always. Her tweet reads, “I’m disappointed by repeatedly bringing this
shit up and getting ignored/gaslit, then having a white woman bring it up and
her getting praised for it? White supremacy might as well be an opiate—some
people take it without ever knowing, others microdose it to get ahead.”
“Why is no one like, “Tatiana had good intentions in bringing up the rampant
racism problem in our community?” Instead, it’s all, “Look at all the impact it
had on two white guys!” Is cuz y’all finally realise intent doesn’t erase impact?”,
she adds.
She has since decided to quit the tech industry following these developments. In
a tweet, she wrote, “Incredibly sad, disappointed, and not at all surprised by
*so* many people. Your actions/inactions have spoken. Enjoy an industry

without me.” She further said that she is depleted of emotional energy to write
an account of what happened and has asked a trusted (white) colleague to
research and write a factual recount.
She also clarifies that she will continue to keep her speaking commitments
through 2020. “I want to clarify: I’ve booked design and speaking contracts
through 2020 and will honour those contracts, not because I am legally forced,
but because I really love designing & speaking. And, because I am *supremely*
broke and will need time and resources to transition out,” she tweeted.
She also talks about her difficult financial situation and her decision to sell off
stuff.
In a tweet, she wrote, “I am going to sell some things that I no longer need.
What I would love:
People who have an abundance of money can pay for it for someone else;
People who can’t afford it get it, then pass the knowledge/resource forward
once they’re done.”
She adds, “If you want to help me, I would appreciate it as I’m deeply in debt.
My hope is to get back on my feet financially, move from PDX, and repay this
nest egg forward to someone else who needs to escape the debt vacuum, which
is dang near impossible to escape alone.”
People were deeply saddened by the news of Tatiana quitting. A Twitter user
wrote, “Tech bro temporarily deactivated on social media to avoid being forced
to weigh in on the shitty behavior of his friends?! We’ve got to do something
about this.” vs. “She’s leaving the industry due rampant harassment and
complete lack of support. Hope she can find happiness!”
Dan Abramov and Ken Wheeler quit Twitter

In opposition to heydonworks, a number of (since deleted) tweets were also
posted by Dan Abramov (co-author of Redux and Create React App) defending
the React community. He later deleted his Twitter account, so did Ken Wheeler.
Dan later appeared on Reddit to talk about his disappearance. “Hey all. I’m fine,
and I plan to be back soon. This isn’t a “shut a door in your face” kind of
situation. The real answer is that I’ve bit off more social media than I can chew.
I’ve been feeling anxious for the past few days and I need a clean break from
checking it every ten minutes. Deactivating is a barrier to logging in that I
needed. I plan to be back soon.”
Ken has posted no such message.
On Reddit, Mark Erikson, Redux maintainer tried to calm the situation by

posting, “For those reading along, please remember not to brigade people on
either side, it does not help them nor our reputation as a community. The best
thing we can do for Dan is to give him some space, and not to feed the trolls.”
He later turned off commenting for the thread quoting, “Given the way this
discussion has gone on Twitter the last few days, I don’t see any point in letting
it go further here.
I personally am deeply saddened by the entire situation and have to admit I’m
debating whether it’s worth actually staying active on Twitter at the moment. I’ll
leave the post up as an FYI, since it’s a piece of news, but I’m locking the
thread at this point.”
A Redditor commented, “To be fair, some of the best content we get for react
news and discussion is driven by reposting of Dan’s tweets. Losing that is highly
relevant to React and the sub. That said, I’d agree that the discussion should
not extend beyond this post, and hopefully, we’ll find another medium for our
regular dose of Dan.”
What can the React community do?

This news has shaken the React community to the core. At such distressing
times, the React community needs to come together as a whole and offer
constructive criticism to tackle the issue of unhealthy tribalism, while making
minority groups feel safe and heard.
Tatiana puts forward a few points to tackle the toxic culture.
“Pay attention to your biggest proponents and how they reject all discussion of
the injustices of tech. It’s subtle like that, and, it’s as overt as throwing white
supremacist hand gestures at conferences on stage. Neither is necessarily more
dangerous than the other, but instead shows the journey and spectrum of
radicalization—it’s a process.”
She urges, “If you want to clean up the community, you’ve got to see what
systemic forces allow these hateful dingdongs to sit so comfortably in your
space. I’m here to help and hope I have today already, as a member of tech,
but I need you to do the work there.”
Early last week, Tatiana gave the Systems of Systems talk at the Clarity conf,
which touched on white supremacy and tech’s role there. To summarize, her talk
touched upon how to assess where design systems live in broader ecosystems,
the challenges inherent, and how to lean into the good, and resist the bad, to
ensure serving all humans in an equitable and ethical way, maintaining safety
and trust. The talk was well received by the audience; some even saying it
changed their entire outlook. Even Tatiana agreed, that Systems of Systems was
her best talk yet. You can find the slides here.
Read Next
“Developers don’t belong on a pedestal, they’re doing a job like everyone else”
– April Wensel on toxic tech culture and Compassionate Coding [Interview]
Github Sponsors: Could corporate strategy eat FOSS culture for dinner?
Microsoft’s #MeToo reckoning: female employees speak out against workplace

harassment and discrimination
Sugandha Lahoti
Content Marketing Editor at Packt Hub. I blog about new and upcoming tech trends. In my
free time, you can find me humming songs and hunting for new novels to read.

Twitter Packt Hub

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28/08/2019 React accused of being pro-toxic masculinity; Tatiana Mac quits industry, Dan Abramov & Ken Wheeler

p; Ken Wheeler quit Twitter | Packt Hub

React accused of being pro-toxic masculinity;

What do you like to do when you're not coding?

139 people are talking about this

@heydon@mastodon.social @heydonworks · Aug 22, 2019

Don't personally know a single React developer that is like this.

Front end development isn't a competition.

See matt.js's other Tweets

@heydon@mastodon.social @heydonworks · Aug 22, 2019

See Nuno Santos's other Tweets

Dan Abramov @dan_abramov · Aug 22, 2019

Hundreds of thousands sometimes eclipsed by an aggressive and

highlight that. Perhaps a public disowning of the neocon /

See @heydon@mastodon.social's other Tweets

To be clear: @ken_wheeler did not throw the white power symbol at

71 people are talking about this

He later urged people to retweet it, saying he made a big mistake.

Ken Wheeler’s behavior is toxic towards

I muted so-and-so a long time ago for making a transphobic joke

Jeremy Wagner @malchata

62 8:00 AM - Aug 24, 2019

See Nat Alison's other Tweets

Jeremy Wagner @malchata · Aug 23, 2019

If you befriend those who refuse to acknowledge the systemic

I'm tired of saying "so-and-so's a good guy", when so-and-so's not

82 1:44 AM - Aug 23, 2019

See Jeremy Wagner's other Tweets

Web designer Tatiana Mac quits the tech

TIL: People care more about protecting the reputation of a

I’m not going to ignore that fact; my safety depends on it.

84 people are talking about this

*so* many people. Your actions/inactions have spoken. Enjoy an industry

Dan Abramov and Ken Wheeler quit Twitter

Ken has posted no such message.

On Reddit, Mark Erikson, Redux maintainer tried to calm the situation by

What can the React community do?

Tatiana puts forward a few points to tackle the toxic culture.

Microsoft’s #MeToo reckoning: female employees speak out against workplace

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so many people. Your actions/inactions have spoken. Enjoy an industry