Mozilla CEO Brendan Eich Steps Down Amid Gay Rights Firestorm
The newly-appointed CEO of Mozilla, Brendan Eich, has decided to step down after a firestorm of criticism erupted when it was made known that he donated $1,000 to support Prop 8, which was a measure to ban same-sex marriage in California.
Mozilla Executive Chairwoman Mitchell Baker penned a blog post discussing Eich’s resignation, and her language certainly seems to indicate that Mozilla believes that it erred in promoting Eich in the first place as opposed to simply backing off because of public pressure. “Mozilla prides itself on being held to a different standard and, this past week, we didn’t live up to it,” she wrote. “We know why people are hurt and angry, and they are right: it’s because we haven’t stayed true to ourselves.”
Now-former Mozilla CEO Brendan Eich
She also makes it clear that Eich made the decision on his own, “for Mozilla and our community”.
“While painful, the events of the last week show exactly why we need the web,” added Baker. “So all of us can engage freely in the tough conversations we need to make the world better.”
It remains unclear what will happen with Mozilla’s C-level leadership at the moment; Eich was the CTO before being promoted to CEO, and Mozilla has not revealed whether Eich will be plugged back in to the company in another capacity.
Mozilla Executive Chairwoman Mitchell Baker penned a blog post discussing Eich’s resignation, and her language certainly seems to indicate that Mozilla believes that it erred in promoting Eich in the first place as opposed to simply backing off because of public pressure. “Mozilla prides itself on being held to a different standard and, this past week, we didn’t live up to it,” she wrote. “We know why people are hurt and angry, and they are right: it’s because we haven’t stayed true to ourselves.”
Now-former Mozilla CEO Brendan Eich
She also makes it clear that Eich made the decision on his own, “for Mozilla and our community”.
“While painful, the events of the last week show exactly why we need the web,” added Baker. “So all of us can engage freely in the tough conversations we need to make the world better.”
It remains unclear what will happen with Mozilla’s C-level leadership at the moment; Eich was the CTO before being promoted to CEO, and Mozilla has not revealed whether Eich will be plugged back in to the company in another capacity.
