Founder of Easy Taxi and casual misogynist Tallis Gomes is learning the hard way that not all publicity is good publicity.
On September 18, Gomes hit self-destruct on his reputation in an Instagram post that lamented the role of women in the boardroom.
“God forbid a woman CEO”, complained Gomes, before going on to further add that that women CEOs undergo a "process of masculinisation" and should focus their "feminine energy" on home and family.
"Women belong in all places where decisions are being made". - Ruth Bader Ginsburg
The backlash was swift with several high profile female executives publicly condemning Gomes. Luiza Trajano, CEO of Magazine Luiza defended her position by stating that, “women can be whatever they choose to be”. She went further on LinkedIn stating that she did not share Gomes' views and urged women not to let such statements affect their ambitions. She further added that there would be no ongoing relationship between her company and Gomes.
Tarciana Medeiros, CEO of Banco do Brasil, also spoke out, emphasizing the value of female leadership. During a speech at a United Nations Global Compact event in New York, when asked if it was "okay" for a woman to be CEO, she responded with confidence, "It's absolutely great," receiving strong applause from the audience.
Seemingly tone-deaf to the media climate surrounding his comments, Gomes bizarrely doubled down, stating confidently that he wouldn’t be "cancelled" for his remarks. He claimed that his statements were misunderstood and suggested that the controversy would eventually fade away.
However, this doesn’t seem to be the case, with Gomes being forced to resign as CEO of G4 Educação and in a sweet twist of irony, being replaced by Maria Isabel Antonini. He was also removed from the board of women-led company Hope Lingerie and has had several speaking engagements cancelled. Just like his particular brand of toxic misogyny, it appears that Gomes is radioactive, with companies not being able to distance themselves from him fast enough.
There’s several takeaways from this. Firstly, the assumption that all publicity (either good or bad), no longer holds true. Secondly, think before you speak. The fact that Gomes was so tone-deaf in the post “me too” era raises serious questions about his judgement and ability to read the social climate. Finally (and this is a rule we should all strive to live by), don’t be an asshole. If you’re airing your grievances on the internet in a desperate attempt to gain clicks and website traffic, think before you post or be prepared to pay the price. While the controversy will eventually die down, the online imprint will remain. Gomes’ name will forever be stained by his comments. Google never forgets.
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