An apparently pro-masculinity tech entrepreneur has ignited a social media controversy by describing men in leadership positions as “losers” if they take extensive paternity leave.
In a long Twitter thread, Joe Lonsdale, a co-founder of software company Palantir Technologies and other ventures, was apparently reacting to a Joe Rogan episode in which the podcaster raised questions about U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s paternity leave in the midst of the supply chain crisis.
“Isn’t that supposed to be for the person who gave birth?,” Rogan reportedly wondered.
When an Axios editor tweeted that Spotify, the streaming service that distributes Rogan’s show, provides six months of paid parental leave without regard to gender as an employee benefit, Lonsdale provocatively responded as follows:
“Wow. Great for fathers to spend time [with] their kids and support moms, but any man in an important position who takes 6 months of leave for a newborn is a loser. In the old days men had babies and worked harder to provide for their future – that’s the correct masculine response.”
Wow. Great for fathers to spend time w their kids and support moms, but any man in an important position who takes 6 months of leave for a newborn is a loser.
In the old days men had babies and worked harder to provide for their future – that’s the correct masculine response.
— Joe Lonsdale (@JTLonsdale) October 27, 2021
As the responses rolled in, and they were seldom supportive of his position, Lonsdale replied with variations on the same seemingly unpopular theme.
“I’m slightly confused why those who didn’t take six months off themselves as fathers are so offended by this – it’s clearly nonsensical for a leader, & even the most woke responders here take less. You can love your kids and spend lots of time [with] them without irresponsible leave.”
He also acknowledged that, as one Twitter pointed out, a policy that differentiates based on gender could lead to discrimination against women. “I respect that this is one theory behind this. Men who are leaders in key positions shouldn’t take the full six months cold turkey is my view on this and others agree but are afraid to say so.”
I respect that this is one theory behind this.
Men who are leaders in key positions shouldn’t take the full six months cold turkey is my view on this and others agree but are afraid to say so.
— Joe Lonsdale (@JTLonsdale) October 27, 2021
Lonsdale also claimed that he has started “six different billion-dollar companies,” and that a six-month absence for senior executives just isn’t viable in that kind of scenario, although some paternity-related time off “is great.”
According to Bloomberg Technology, Lonsdale later conceded that “using the word loser was ‘uncalled for,’ but he doubled down on the importance of maintaining traditional gender roles.”
Lonsdale also admitted that “This probably would have been better as a private comment, in retrospect, to be debated and moderated amongst friends. Although it proved amusing.”
“A father of three, Lonsdale is a regular critic of ‘woke’ politics. He is a longtime associate of Peter Thiel, the powerful conservative billionaire,” Bloomberg added.
One size never fits all, of course, in terms of child-rearing responsibilities in a family. Given where we are in contemporary culture, however, at least as it manifests itself online, the Twitter reaction was probably to be expected. Here is a sampling:
You didn’t take six months off. So … sounds like we agree that would have been too much.
— Joe Lonsdale (@JTLonsdale) October 27, 2021
Imagine thinking as a father that you have to take six full months off from your work to prove you love your newborn.
— Joe Lonsdale (@JTLonsdale) October 27, 2021
Wow. In the “old days” people were often forced to work 18 hour days, 7 days a week, including children, to provide for their families. That was so masculine! But then we evolved as a society and introduced labor laws and social welfare policies. Nostalgia🙇
— Elad Gilo (@elad_gilo) October 27, 2021
Dude, if you died today, your company would go on fine without you, in fact it would likely improve once freed of your bullshit issues. Sadly, your family would likely as well. You are under the impression that you are important because of your work. You are not.
— Melanie T (@MelanieRetweets) October 28, 2021
If you’re pining for the ol’ glory days of masculinity, the correct masculine response is to go fight a lion in the cage for a loaf of bread for your family.
Fought any lions 🦁 or hippos with a spear? If not, you’re not masculine enough!
— Akhilesh Mritunjai (@TheMritunjai) October 28, 2021
To be fair, if I were your kid I’d also be opposed to paternity leave
— At Wholesome Prison (@WholesomePrison) October 27, 2021
Your companies are a net negative for society, even if (especially if) you made a lot of money from them. And “senior leadership” does basically nothing of value, congrats you oversaw and siphoned profits from other people’s actual work.
— Anarcho_Bean 🏴🚩 (@bean_anarcho) October 27, 2021
joe, r u ok?
— lex 🍑 (@hotgirlintech) October 27, 2021
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Robert Jonathan is a staff writer for BizPac Review. He is a longtime writer/editor for news aggregation websites and has also developed content in the legal and financial publishing sectors as well as for online education. He earned a Juris Doctorate from the University of Connecticut School of Law, “a law school the basketball teams can be proud of.”
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