SO LONG

Complaining Works! Antigay Mozilla CEO Brendan Eich Resigns

Brendan EichWell, what do you know: sometimes angry people yelling on the Internet can actually have an effect. Firefox’s new CEO Brendan Eich, who supported Prop 8, is stepping down after a week of public outcry.

“Brendan Eich has chosen to step down from his role as CEO. He’s made this decision for Mozilla and our community,” the company wrote.

“It’s clear that Brendan cannot lead Mozilla in this setting,” said Chairwoman Mitchell Baker.

Geez. We are not totally sure that this is the best possible outcome. It might’ve been better to open a dialogue about why Eich supported Prop 8; what his current feelings are about LGBTs; and why opposing equality isn’t just a “difference of opinion” but morally unacceptable.

But we didn’t get that. Instead, the poor schmo is out of a job; the conversation is no longer about reaching an understanding; and we’re going to see a return to the narrative about how religious bigots are the true victims of bigotry.

This probably could have been avoided if Eich had just spoken openly about his current position. He could have said “Yup, I supported Prop 8, and I still do. Suck it, gays, and by it I do not mean cock, because that is a sin.” At least then we would have known!

But he didn’t go that elegant route. Instead, he issued tortured, twisted logic-pretzels to avoid saying anything at all. His obfuscation just made things worse.

Make no doubt about it, Eich is the bad guy here, not a victim. He supported an amoral law. And then he refused to talk about it, deliberately shutting down any discussion.

Nevertheless, it’s pretty much guaranteed that an outcry will issue from antigay groups, claiming he was ousted for his beliefs, rather than his failure of leadership. Ugh, everyone. Just ugh.

Don't forget to share:

Help make sure LGBTQ+ stories are being told...

We can't rely on mainstream media to tell our stories. That's why we don't lock Queerty articles behind a paywall. Will you support our mission with a contribution today?

Cancel anytime · Proudly LGBTQ+ owned and operated