Yesterday, we broke the news that Detroit-based start-up Picket Report was using what many described and offensive and stereotypical classifications to help people pick the "perfect" neighborhood. They called them "Lifestyles," but they had little to do with "style" and everything to do with money, class, and ethnicity. [Because last we checked, being a striving African American was not just some going-againt-the-grain choice about being subversive] With the help of Dan Gilbert's small business incubator, Bizdumb, they launched a program that let us know that rich people like to be called American Royalty but that you should call your poor people one of the names mentioned in the Struggling Societies header. An example of one of these lifestyles was "Hard Times: Older, down-scale and ethnically-diverse singles typically concentrated in inner-city apartments." After the media outcry, they deleted the whole thing. But are they all that ashamed of the categories used? While the "Lifestyles" categories were deleted from the home page and the the application, they live on in five staff bios. Notice that David and Brian, above, are proud to be part of the Striving Singles Scene [Hey, ladieeeees!!!] How about the other three staff members? Anyone think they are part of the the Struggling Societies?
Picket Report may have apologized about offending us, but doesn't this really say that they were never offended themselves? We bet Tiffany here has no shame in her suburban game. [Think it is Royal Oak?]
So when it came to the lifestyles, there were winners and losers and these staff members seem to have known that. No matter what they say about this being a vendor's fault.
· About Picket Report (bios) [Picket Report]
· Picket Report Will Pick Out Social Pariahs And Ethnic Groups While Finding You the Perfect Neighborhood [Curbed Detroit]
·Picket Report Loses The Racial Stereotyping "Lifestyle" Section[Curbed Detroit]
· Statement: Picket Report is Sorry, Tremendously Embarrassed [Curbed Detroit]
· Pick the Perfect Neighborhood without Pesky Ethnic Groups Getting in the Way! [Jezebel]
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