Equipment vendors who do business with Los Angeles
County received a message in November 2003 from the county's Internal
Services Department (ISD) informing them that "based on the cultural
diversity and sensitivity of Los Angeles County," labeling or describing
equipment with the term 'master/slave' is no longer acceptable:
Subject: IDENTIFICATION OF EQUIPMENT SOLD TO LA COUNTY
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2003 14:21:16 -0800
From: "Los Angeles County"
The County of Los Angeles actively promotes and is committed to ensure a
work environment that is free from any discriminatory influence be it
actual or perceived. As such, it is the County's expectation that our
manufacturers, suppliers and contractors make a concentrated effort to
ensure that any equipment, supplies or services that are provided to
County departments do not possess or portray an image that may be
construed as offensive or defamatory in nature.
One such recent example included the manufacturer's labeling of
equipment where the words "Master/Slave" appeared to identify the
primary and secondary sources. Based on the cultural diversity and
sensitivity of Los Angeles County, this is not an acceptable
identification label.
We would request that each manufacturer, supplier and contractor review,
identify and remove/change any identification or labeling of equipment
or components thereof that could be interpreted as discriminatory or
offensive in nature before such equipment is sold or otherwise provided
to any County department.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation and assistance.
Joe Sandoval, Division Manager
Purchasing and Contract Services
Internal Services Department
County of Los Angeles
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To verify that this wasn't a hoax or an internal joke which mistakenly
escaped to the wider world of the Internet, we called the Purchasing and
Contract Services division for the County of Los Angeles, and they
informed us that yes, they did issue this message, and yes, it was meant
seriously. The representative we spoke with said that someone within the
County bureaucracy - a person who probably didn't understand computer
terminology - had taken offense at 'master/slave' references and
complained to the board, whereupon the Internal Services Department was
obligated to issue notification requesting that vendors refrain from
using that terminology.
Whether this message reflects more a "socially progressive" change or
one of the "needless discarding of the familiar and traditional" variety
we couldn't say, but - much to the chagrin of several vendors who passed
it along to us - the County of Los Angeles is apparently serious about
it.