A US company is under fire for its “sexist” hostess outfits featuring lampshades at a recent event, resulting in accusations of being tone-deaf. The uproar began after a photo from the event—showing two women wearing lampshades branded with the company’s logo—went viral. The image triggered widespread outrage and led to a response from the company’s CEO, who condemned the incident as “unacceptable.”
Event Details and Public Reaction
The incident occurred at a CyberRisk Collaborative Happy Hour, sponsored by Palo Alto Networks, during the Black Hat conference. The photo quickly spread on social media, drawing criticism from many quarters. Olivia Rose, a Security Maturity Strategist, expressed her dismay by stating, “Shame. Shame. Shame on you.” She questioned whether women were being reduced to mere props and added, “Are those intended to represent bright ideas inside our heads or… just light bulbs? Shame on you. Just shame. Do better. It’s really not that hard.”
Company Response
In response to the backlash, CEO Nikesh Arora issued a formal apology. He emphasized, “Let me be clear: what occurred was unacceptable. We could have, and should have, done better. We will do better.” Arora committed to investigating the mistake and ensuring that future events adhere to appropriate marketing guidelines.
Criticisms of the Apology
While some people appreciated the CEO’s apology, others felt the issue should have been addressed sooner. One critic commented, “I feel like someone with a brain should’ve stopped this when it was actually live. What does that say for everyone working there? We wait for our prompt leader to send an email?!” Another observer remarked, “To get this to the conference floor, multiple people would have signed off on this, which means your company really failed the smell test. This is not just a marketing problem. It’s more than a diversity issue; it’s a misogyny problem.”
Broader Implications
Additional comments highlighted the larger issue, with one person stating, “This is not about diversity and inclusion, this is about sexism and misogyny.”
About the Company
Palo Alto Networks, headquartered in Santa Clara, California, is a leading multinational firm specializing in cybersecurity and helping organizations prevent cyber breaches.