Based on everything Jason and DHH have ever said or done, do you think that their intent with this policy is to forbid people from mentioning their same sex partners?
Do you believe that they would take seriously any complaint in that regard?
There is definitely a spectrum of behavior contained in "political discussions". Do think there's not any part of that spectrum that should be discouraged at work? I think they made it pretty clear what area of the spectrum of behavior they're targeting and it's not "casual mentions of same-sex partners".
If person A mentions they are in a same sex relationship, then person B goes on a rant about how it should be illegal and how dare you bring it up, then to me person B is the one making the discussion political, not person A.
I do see how if person B is the boss, this would be a problem, but I don't think Jason and DHH are that person B.
As an example, here is a Twitter thread about another organization that dealt with an excess of "political discussion"
https://twitter.com/graceisforyou/status/1386739669866455043
That is the sort of thing I imagine Basecamp is trying to prevent.
That said, I would be surprised if they took a complaint like this seriously. But what I’m saying is that people used to take this particular complaint seriously within the past 10 years; and that this complaint is easily generalized to a lot of other complaints that feel very relevant.
And moreover the even bigger point is now I have to worry because this has happened to me. Why wouldn’t I be worried it would happen again?
(And this policy is creeping in at multiple workplaces: Coinbase, Basecamp, and at least one other place I’m not at liberty to actually say - and the trend is very concerning).
I think people also shouldn't have to worry about losing their job or being pushed aside if they just want to do work and not kneel down with people, or raise their fists, or recite loyalty oaths to certain causes. Some people just want to come to work and do work and go home, and that should be allowed too.
I hope we can find a compromise where neither person needs to worry. I think that is what Basecamp is making an honest attempt at here.
