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Adree

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
4,072
Mod Edit: Please move on from the off-site baggage and community comparisons. Focus on the story the thread is about and do not feed into inter-forum drama.

https://www.refinery29.com/2018/07/203982/feminist-apparel-ceo-alan-martofel-fires-staff

Absolutely insane story of an Onion opinion columnist come to life:

It all came to a grinding halt in June of 2018 when Feminist Apparel staff discovered that the brand's founder and CEO Alan Martofel had an admitted history of sexually abusing women. In fact, he claims it's the reason why he started the company in the first place. After asking for his resignation, all nine employees were fired without notice or severance. (Only Martfel and an outside consultant remained.)

On June 21, Feminist Apparel was tagged in a Facebook post accusing Martofel of rape. The employees investigated and found a Facebook post that Martofel wrote in 2013 that describes his own sexual abuse of women, how he came to learn about rape culture, and that he was starting a company called Feminist Apparel as his "humble attempt" to "solve it."
"We've all either faced this firsthand, seen it, heard a firsthand account of it, or are guilty of it ourselves," Martofel wrote in the the post. "I'm someone who's guilty of it. I've grinded up on women on buses and at concerts without their consent. I've made out with 'the drunk chick' at a party because it was easier. I've put a woman's hand on my dick while she was sleeping."

"While I continue to regret my past behaviors, my ongoing reflection and conversations regarding them have helped to shape me into who I am and have given me the tools to build an organization that has always strived to be a safe and welcoming space for all," he wrote in the post. "Sadly, in the meeting that took place with my now-former employees last Friday, I was made aware that they, unequivocally, do not share my views on either business or feminism. It is then that the operations of the company were halted for a week, while all employees continued to be paid and I assessed all available options for how to move forward at this juncture. After much deliberation, and in accordance with both state law and our employee handbook, I made the difficult decision to proceed without them. I truly believe in Feminist Apparel, it's [sic] mission, and in the important causes and individuals it supports. As a result, I also need to do what is best for the company's long-term success."

Really fucked up that these people were working for him while he was secretly (or not so secretly) the monster their shirts fought against.
 
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Qikz

Member
Oct 25, 2017
12,471
I mean if he's trying to attone for what he did then that's a good thing, but I don't think of any of what led up to this shouldve happened in the way it did.

The fact he fired all his staff is ridiculous as well. He should've been up front about why he was doing this in the first place to give them the option of never joining to begin with.
 

spineduke

Moderator
Oct 25, 2017
8,745
This seems recurring and akin to the priest problem - past behaviors pushing them to take on a new job hoping it'll bury their old unaddressed behaviors. I remember there being at least another "feminist" who turned out to be a massive sexual creep. I know somebody personally who's a sexual harasser and a self proclaimed feminist.
 
Oct 26, 2017
6,571
This seems recurring and akin to the priest problem - past behaviors pushing them to take on a new job hoping it'll bury their old unaddressed behaviors. I remember there being at least another "feminist" who turned out to be a massive sexual creep. I know somebody personally who's a sexual harasser and a self proclaimed feminist.
I might have misread, but didn't he start the company to "atone". Did he continue to harass women?
 

ZeroX

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
21,266
Speed Force
I mean if he's trying to attone for what he did then that's a good thing, but I don't think of any of what led up to this shouldve happened in the way it did.
Yeah but he told the staff nothing about his checkered history or "wanting to atone" and instead gave them a completely different origin story of the company about being inspired by feminism

Obviously they felt deceived at the very least
 

Qikz

Member
Oct 25, 2017
12,471
Yeah but he told the staff nothing about his checkered history or "wanting to atone" and instead gave them a completely different origin story of the company about being inspired by feminism

Obviously they felt deceived at the very least

Yup. I edited my post to say similar after you quoted me I guess
 

Not

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,596
US
Should've been honest from the get go if you wanted to sell the redemption angle
 
Oct 26, 2017
6,571
Yeah but he told the staff nothing about his checkered history or "wanting to atone" and instead gave them a completely different origin story of the company about being inspired by feminism

Obviously they felt deceived at the very least
Ah I missed this part. Yeah explains why the hires were pissed. I mean why lie about it if you leave your confessions in the open?
 

deepFlaw

Knights of Favonius World Tour '21
Member
Oct 25, 2017
23,495
I'd say the company was suspect to begin with.

That's not to blame the employees; he lied, they didn't know. Nor is this to say "obviously, someone running a company like that is bad in this way with something to hide". But I do think that anyone - particularly a man - running a company for profit with "feminist" in the name like that... it rubs me the wrong way; it's turning feminism into your brand.
 

cdyhybrid

Member
Oct 25, 2017
17,422
just seems weird to begin with that a man started Feminist Apparel.
Nah, it makes perfect sense. "Let me masquerade as an ally and exploit that to make some money while using that status to avoid giving people a reason to check into my past"

I0VKaun.gif
 

MMarston

Self-requested ban
Banned
Oct 27, 2017
7,605
He made up a story about coming up with the idea when making a documentary about campus sexual assault. He told that story to Forbes as well as all his employees so in effect he was willingly lying about the origin story.


Shit, even then, I think he could've still left his co-workers with a tinsy bit goodwill if he decided to open up/fessed up about his past and left the company in better hands if he really meant his original angle.

But nah, he decides to glass the entire workplace and make the problem of abuse, disrespect and power dynamics in relation to women even more evident.
 

FormatCompatible

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
12,071
Shit, even then, I think he could've still left his co-workers with a tinsy bit goodwill if he decided to open up/fessed up and left the company in better hands if he really meant his original angle.
It's worse, according to one of the employees he promised them he would resign, only to then go and fire all of them.

We confronted him about it, he said he would step down from his position, and then instead let all 9 of the staff go after 2 weeks of dead silence.
Just a great guy all around, don't see why anyone would not want to go work for him.

/s
 
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Stop It

Bad Cat
Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,350
Wow, there's tone deaf, then there's this.

Creating a company and hiring on complete false pretences is one thing, firing everyone because you got found out is quite something.

I see no atonement here, just a cynical cash grab by someone who wants to profit from the people he has spent years abusing with no self reflection whatsoever, nor any regards for anyone but himself.

I hope he goes out of business.
 
Oct 26, 2017
8,055
Appalachia
I read the Tumblr page of the ex-employees' posts, and what they all stated was that this man first said he was going to step down from his position, then disappeared for two weeks, then fired them all via email.

So yeah, as much as I would like to think this guy honestly was attempting to atone or actually make a positive change or whatever, his actions both in lying about how the company was formed and then how he went about responding to his past coming to light make him look worse and worse.
 
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thetrin

Member
Oct 26, 2017
7,631
Atlanta, GA
This article is a bit confusing. It's reading to me that he started Feminist Apparel because he was once that person, and regrets the person he once was, and wants to help fix it.

Or am I reading that incorrectly?

His actions in this case are ridiculous, clearly. Lying about stepping down and then firing his staff shows he hasn't really changed.

But, should he have stepped down if he was once that terrible person, and his company was an initiative to become part of the solution? (before he glassed the entire office, they didn't know he was still that person, presumably)
 

Neece

Member
Oct 27, 2017
9,199
Looking at that website and those $30 tshirts...

Wow. Capitalism at it's finest.
 

Pekola

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,507
Wait? What? There is another story like this too?

Well yes, if you know the story of how this site came to be, then you'll know about the person that profited off gamers to fund his trips where he sexually harassed women.

It's similar to this case, where they present themselves as proggresive, but don't even know how to interact with women beyond making them uncomfortable.
 

Riversands

Banned
Nov 21, 2017
5,669
You would know.

You were in it.

A lot of us were in it.

EDIT: wait, I think I'm confusing you for another member

Well yes, if you know the story of how this site came to be, then you'll know about the person that profited off gamers to fund his trips where he sexually harassed women.

It's similar to this case, where they present themselves as proggresive, but don't even know how to interact with women beyond making them uncomfortable.

Actually i didnt know. I came to this site since someone mentioned it on some twitch channel. I think it is rheia or something, i cant remember. I heard about that previous site but i didnt know it was similar to this case
 

Not

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,596
US
Actually i didnt know. I came to this site since someone mentioned it on some twitch channel. I think it is rheia or something, i cant remember. I heard about that previous site but i didnt know it was similar to this case
Yeah, most of us are here because the same thing essentially happened to the founder of NeoGAF. Chris Hardwick and others all got outed similarly.

Feigning progressiveness to hide your history of sexual harassment can be lucrative AF
 

Kirblar

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
30,744
Yeah, most of us are here because the same thing essentially happened to the founder of NeoGAF. Chris Hardwick and others all got outed similarly.

Feigning progressiveness to hide your history of sexual harassment can be lucrative AF
Its a shame "Virtue Signalling" got coopted by rhe far right just like PC/SJW cause the original neutral conception of the term was legitimately useful.
 

Deleted member 8861

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 26, 2017
10,564
Actually i didnt know. I came to this site since someone mentioned it on some twitch channel. I think it is rheia or something, i cant remember. I heard about that previous site but i didnt know it was similar to this case
Owner of NeoGAF was accused to be a sexual abuser, the allegations came to light, said owner/founder/administrator (Evilore) tried to crack down on it, things escalated and ultimately most of the community left and formed ResetEra in about a couple weeks.

NeoGAF is still up, but it's basically only populated by alt-righters and similar people who felt unwelcome by the site's previous progressive stance.
 

BDS

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
13,845
Its a shame "Virtue Signalling" got coopted by rhe far right just like PC/SJW cause the original neutral conception of the term was legitimately useful.

The term "performative wokeness" has sort of caught on in various left-wing communities to describe supposedly liberal allies who are secretly bigoted.
 
OP
OP
Adree

Adree

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
4,072
This article is a bit confusing. It's reading to me that he started Feminist Apparel because he was once that person, and regrets the person he once was, and wants to help fix it.

Or am I reading that incorrectly?

His actions in this case are ridiculous, clearly. Lying about stepping down and then firing his staff shows he hasn't really changed.

But, should he have stepped down if he was once that terrible person, and his company was an initiative to become part of the solution? (before he glassed the entire office, they didn't know he was still that person, presumably)

He made a facebook post years ago about starting this company then once he actually started the company decided to change his origin story. The people he hired on did not know the initial reason/actions he was trying to "atone" for. A rape allegation tagged him and his company on the 21st of June and that brought all this back to the fore.
 

thetrin

Member
Oct 26, 2017
7,631
Atlanta, GA
He made a facebook post years ago about starting this company then once he actually started the company decided to change his origin story. The people he hired on did not know the initial reason/actions he was trying to "atone" for. A rape allegation tagged him and his company on the 21st of June and that brought all this back to the fore.
Gotcha! Understood. Thanks.
 

Jack Remington

User requested permanent ban
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
3,083
It was reasonable for the employees to ask that he step down. It wasn't really reasonable to demand that he release a public statement and essentially end his life. Though his life is over now anyway. Maybe the former employees can start their own company.
 

excelsiorlef

Bad Praxis
Member
Oct 25, 2017
73,319
Shit, even then, I think he could've still left his co-workers with a tinsy bit goodwill if he decided to open up/fessed up about his past and left the company in better hands if he really meant his original angle.

But nah, he decides to glass the entire workplace and make the problem of abuse, disrespect and power dynamics in relation to women even more evident.

And then he turned around and blamed his forner employees for not sharing his views on feminism. What a fucker
 

Cookie

Member
Oct 26, 2017
2,258
That's one way to avoid resigning I guess.

Can't be in trouble if you just fire everyone.