Fifty-two years after engineer Lynn Conway was fired by IBM for being transgender, the company has apologized for the decision. After the setback, Conway went on to make many key innovations in computer chip design.
Via New York Times:
Fifty-two years later, Ms. Conway was called back to speak with IBM supervisors. This time, the setting was a virtual meeting witnessed by other company employees.
They watched last month as Diane Gherson, IBM's senior vice president of human resources, told Ms. Conway that while the company now offered help and support to "transitioning employees," no amount of progress could make up for the treatment she had received decades ago.
Ms. Conway, 82, was then given a lifetime achievement award for her "pioneering work" in computers, a company spokeswoman said.
"It was so unexpected," Ms. Conway said in an interview, adding that she recalled blinking back tears. "It was stunning."
Disclosure: Lynn and I have been friends for almost 25 years.
Image: Wikimedia Commons
