Ex-Google Employee Speaks Out on Sexism, Racism, and Corporate Culture

Claire Stapleton was once an internal communications associate at Google, where she drafted copy to explain the company's work product to employees. She earned multiple promotions and became known as the 'Bard of Google' for her quippy emails. However, after a few years, Stapleton became disenchanted with the sexism, racism, and intense hierarchy within the company. In 2018, she was one of the primary organizers of the walkout that drew over 20,000 employees.

Stapleton's experience at Google is detailed in her memoir 'Don't Be Evil: Bad Bosses, Fake Promises, and My Escape from Big Tech.' The book chronicles her time at the company, including her struggles with sexism and racism. She also recounts how she was expected to work hard and blame herself for any perceived weaknesses.

After the walkout, Stapleton found that Google had no real interest in changing or living up to its ideals. She notes that the company used PR to pretend to celebrate her, even buying her new boots for a photo op. However, she was slowly demoted and eventually decided to leave the company.