An anonymous post about Benchmark Capital on VC-bashing site TheFunded.com piqued our curiosity. Titled "Don't Play with Women", it's a pretty damning claim:

Benchmark has said publicly that they will never fund a woman-founded company. They've never had a woman partner. And the mood seems to be like a frat party (a real turnoff to women).

We're wondering, when and where did any Benchmark partner really make such a claim? (Seriously, can anyone help me find it? I've been looking all day with no luck.) Secondly, well, i'ts not really true, right? Benchmark-backed E-Loan was cofounded by Janina Pawlowski. And Sarah Leary, pictured here, just joined Benchmark, along with Nirav Tolia, as an entrpreneur-in-residence — the surest way for a startup founder to get backing for a new venture.

Update A spokesperson for Benchmark writes in:

What follows are 4 more examples of Benchmark funding/recruiting women CEOs of public companies.

* Meg Whitman/eBay
* Donna Dubinsky/Handspring
* Lorrie Norrington/Shopping.com
* Maggie Wilderotter/Wink Communications

Call me if you need clarification. My cell is [REDACTED]. And no, I have no idea where that ridiculous quote came from. Certainly not one of the Benchmark partners!

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