Following the precedent set by Los Angeles County’s brave stance against master/slave labels on technological devices, the City of San Francisco is demanding reform by the electronic plug and cable industry.
A memo to all of the city’s electronic suppliers said that the use of connectors on electronic cables and equipment “must accurately reflect the diversity of San Francisco society, instead of perpetuating the heterosexual stereotype that male plugs can only connect into female ports.”
The city will require future contractors to guarantee that at least 10% of their equipment comes with male connectors for male ports, or female plugs for female ports. Plugs that can connect to both male and female would also be acceptable.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Computer Cable Manufacturers Association insisted that their products were not homophobic. “The computer cable industry is one of the most progressive around. For example, for years we’ve been offering cables that are male at both ends, as well as cables that have both male and female connectors. We even offer converters that can change a male into a female, or the opposite.”
Note: this entry is satire. It is not true.
Thanks to the Volokh Conspiracy for first bringing the “master/slave” story to my attention.
(Note: This entry was originally published on my now-defunct political blog, Attilathepundit.com.)