Harvard-Educated Woman Takes On Multiple Roles For Founder Boyfriend, Sparks Debate

A debate has erupted online after CC Gong, the girlfriend of a Y Combinator founder Mihail Eric, jokingly requested "sweat equity" in his startup. In a post on social media platform X, Ms Gong highlighted her supportive role in her boyfriend's demanding schedule, ensuring he's well-fed, neatly dressed, and groomed. In her post, she shared a photo of Mr Eric sleeping on the sofa, with his laptop open, showcasing his intense focus on the Y Combinator program.

Y Combinator (YC) is a well-known American technology startup accelerator founded in 2005. It's considered one of the most prestigious and successful startup accelerators globally. Y Combinator is renowned for its rigorous three-month accelerator program, which offers early-stage startups invaluable mentorship, funding, and resources.

''My boyfriend is in YC and this is what I come home to Friday night. I make sure that he's fed, do his laundry and cut his hair. I give feedback, customer intros, and encouragement. YC girlfriends should be granted sweat equity,'' she wrote. 

See the post here:

My boyfriend is in YC and this is what I come home to Friday night.

I make sure that he's fed, do his laundry cut his hair. I give feedback, customer intros, and encouragement. YC girlfriends should be granted sweat equity. @ycombinator 30 days until demo day 💪 pic.twitter.com/2LpwQ2zWFk

— C.C. Gong (@CCgong) August 24, 2024

Notably, CC Gong is also a seasoned entrepreneur and investor, boasting an impressive background in both the corporate and startup worlds. She holds an MBA from Stanford University and a bachelor's degree from Harvard University. Her professional journey includes stints at multinational giants Microsoft and Meta, as well as a tenure at Bain Capital Ventures. Currently, she serves as a principal at Menlo Ventures and co-founded Montage. 

Her post has ignited a heated debate, garnering over 2 million views. Some hailed Ms Gong as a devoted partner and suggested that every founder's girlfriend deserves some equity. However, others expressed concerns that the post perpetuates the normalisation of women shouldering invisible labour.

One user wrote, ''Every founder's girlfriend should have some equity. They are your supporters from the first day!'' Another commented, ''damn during my time in YC nobody made sure I was fed, did my laundry, or cut my hair can we graduate past a narrative that normalizes women being invisible emotional labour sidekicks to men's visible professional successes.''

A third said, ''Enjoy being his slave. If he has priorities straight he can manage not being a slob, and no you are not entitled to anything for volunteering yourself as a female slave.''

A fourth added, ''I was literally in 4th grade the first time I heard something like ‘behind every great man there's a great woman behind him' and this was supposed to be empowering to women but I have wondered, still wonder, who or what is behind great women.'' Yet another stated, ''This is very disturbing. Even at the lowest points and through the hardest times in my life, I was very organized, from my body to my finances to the place I live in.''